Title Holders worthy winners at Allhallows

Honiton’s difficult start to the 2015/6 campaign continued when the hosted early leaders of the division Withycombe. Honiton who are firmly rooted to the bottom of the table were also hampered by a few senior unavailability’s but with a few young guns thrown in Honiton were hopeful of checking Withycombe's perfect maximum points start to the season

Honiton elected to play up the Allhallows slope to start with. Unfortunately Withycome started with a bang and were on the score sheet with in five minutes with a converted try. They added to this with a second when they had a quick counter attack following a lost ball in the contact by Honiton and they were 12 down. Honiton settled and a good passage of play saw them move up the field and “good hands” from Josh Rice and James Coutes released Phil Bennet to run in up the wing for a well worked team try. Ben Webber did well to add the extras with a well struck kick form out wide.

Honiton matched the opposition but when in possession all to often they spilled the ball and the opposition always looked dangerous when they had the ball. Man of the match James Coutes made several last ditch tackles to keep the seaside’s at bay but with a constant onslaught another try meant Honiton had it all to do in the second half as they turned round 19-7 down.

The second half started brightly for Honiton and the first ten minutes they pressed but the table toppers are a good out fit and they defended well and pressing for bonus point they then scored a catch and drive try up the slope. Honiton endeavoured but Withcombe had a vice like grip on the game and they scored again and cruelly added to it with a pushover try right on the final whistle as their pack became more and more dominant.

The final score of 38-7 was disappointed for Honiton as they did compete well in many facets of the game and perhaps the score did not reflect this . On a positive Honiton’s line out worked and Robbie Harrisons throwing to Jack Proctor looked good. The young half back combination of Angus Meadows and Ross Oaten looked promising with Oaten making several good line breaks. Things to work on would have to be ball retention and all said and done Honiton didn’t look that bad and there is optimism in the camp rather than a feeling of doom and despair.

Next week they travel to Exeter Saracens and they could really do with a win on the road to kick start their season