Honiton undone by strong pack

As predicted Honiton latest league trip down in to deepest darkest Cornwall proved to be a difficult one. Honiton won the reverse fixture at home but with a sponsors lunch and a large partisan crowd Bude were a different side in they own back yard. By their own admission they don’t travel well and a weaken Honiton bumped into them at full strength. For Honiton the same can be said about the travelling and they were some what make shift for their trip and with out the help of young prop Ben Logan Honiton they would not have been able to field a front row which would have meant points deduction.

Whilst dry there was a very cold stiff wind blowing straight down the field and Honiton had first use of this gale element. Their tactics were right and any hoof of the ball ended up well down field. Unfortunately from one such kick early on, the ensuing 22 drop out was just not marked properly and a quick tap saw Bude sweep up field and from the next scrum Bude ominously marched the Lacemen over the line from the set piece for an early score.

The scrum through out the game was clearly the home sides key weapon and this has been a feature of their season with very few oppositions getting the better of them in this department. Throw in a few dubious intimidatory tactics as well and it was clear they defiantly had the upper hand in the tight. Despite the wind advantage Bude defended well and they consistently made in roads as they worked up the field and their endeavours saw them cross Honiton’s line twice more to turn round a comfortable 15-0 up. But with it now being their turn with the use of the gale, things looked very ominous for the Honiton camp.

Knowing there was little point in kicking for position Honiton agreed that their tactic could only be to keep possession and work their way up the field as Bude did in the first half. This change of game plan say Honiton step up to the plate and they looked a different side in the second half. Bude didn’t help their cause with three spate sin binnings for various offences and clearly they were rattled. On one of these foray into the oppositions twenty two Robert Price saw a gap in the maul and came out the other side surprise to have open space in front of him, he won the foot race to the line to notch up Honiton first score of the game.

Honiton were undone at a set piece play again and Bude scored down the blind side. Honiton could consider them selves unlucky for the next score as whilst attacking, a handling error was snapped up by the home sides winger who had the pace to run in from long range. Dispute these two scores Honiton hung in there and rather than getting “cricket scored” they really made a fist of in the second half. The final score was 29-5 in favour of the Cornishmen.

Clearly Bude were the better side given their scrum superiority but had Honiton had a better first half this could have a been closer encounter. There was huge praise for the debutant Ben Logan playing his first senior game and having been able to coped well with a “knarlie street wise” old prop he clearly has a bright future as an up and coming prop. Thanks must also go to Tom Churchward the second team captain who went out of his way with a work commitment to fill a late cry off gap. In the second half especially, there were some good performances by several individuals but despite coming off the bench having only expected a ten minute stint Reece Mcgrath took several plaudits as he showed some real “sprit” to help the cause in what turned out to be a 60 minute stint.

Despite the efforts in the second half it has to be acknowledged this was clearly not a good enough performance and this disappointing result now sees the Lacemen definitely having to look over their shoulders as they get sucked into the relegation mire and with high flyers Credition the visitors next week nothing more than 110% is going to reap any reward with that fixture.