Workmanlike Withies Make It Four In a Row

After last weeks impressively dogged victory over Topsham, this week would provide a sterner test for the Withies as they hosted Plymstock Albion Oaks at Raleigh Park. Oaks, historically a tough nut to crack, were on a two game win streak themselves. However they would come up short against a fierce Withycombe pack, succumbing time and again to the forward power in the set piece. The victory for Withycombe was salt in the wounds to Oaks as the Green and Blacks leap frogged their opponents in the league, and a fourth win on the bounce was the proverbial icing.

From the kick off Withycombe went about their business. Within just two minutes they had worked their way down into Oaks territory with the wind behind them, winning a penalty which Olly Toomey knocked over for an early 3-0 lead. Ten minutes later and Withycombe were at it again. After losing their own lineout, Oaks threw the ball wide only to fumble the ball. Lock Doug Wibberley was there to clean up, and two phases later Number 8 Alex Taylor used himself as a wrecking ball as he crashed through and scored his first of four tries. Toomey adding the extras making it 10-0.

With the conditions behind them and general dominance, Withycombe were starving Oaks of any real possession. Play was back in Oaks' 22, and it was scrum time again. Withycombe decimated the first and it was reset. But there was no mistake second time as Taylor had the perfect arm chair ride to the line to chalk up his and Withies second try to make it 15-0. Confidence was clearly growing amongst the home side, and it was a case of "strike whilst the iron's hot". Even in the sticky conditions, Withies play showed exuberance. From a quick lineout Withycombes Jack Sullivan showed some deft footwork as his ankle snapping step opened up some running room. The ball went wide across the pitch, and on it's return Toomey fed Glenn Channing, who put boot to ball to set Danny Sansom off on his bike. With the defence stretched, Sansom out galloped the covering full back to swan dive himself on the ball over the line for an emphatic third Withies score down in Brook End! Toomey was on target with the extras to put Withycombe 22-0 up.

That was the wake up call that Oaks needed it seemed, but without decent first phase ball and the wind in their faces, chances were far and few between. Only a handful of possessions even ended up in Withy territory, and when they did the ferocious home defence held up firm. Centre Caleb Sampson was an absolute brute all game, his hard running and bone crunching tackling all wrapped up with a work horse like attitude gave him the accolade of Man of the Match. Liam Cullen, Alex Taylor and Captain Neil Williams all carried well and took the game to Oaks, Cullen in particular doing a lot of the dirty running into traffic.

With just minutes to go of the first half, Withycombe put another nail in the coffin. Oaks were attempting to run from their own 22, but after holding up a maul it was Withycombes scrum. The Front Eight earned their stripes, rumbling downfield for ten metres for Taylor to get his third try and the four try bonus point all before half time. That's how the score line would stay at the turnaround, 27-0 to Withycombe.

The second half wouldn't be quite the one sided affair that the first was. Oaks started brightly, Matt Neyle Opie going over in the first five minutes, Goldsby West adding the conversion. Withies had an ace up their sleeves though, as from the kick off Captain and talisman Neil Williams got on the end of the kick and proceeded to smash his way upfield. Two phases later Caleb Sampson showed the defence the ball and went the other way as his dummy sold everyone, the moonlighting prop sticking on the afterburners to score in the corner, making it 34-7 to the good.

Much of the half was played at a stalemate. Withycombe were clearly gassed after their first half heroics, and with Oaks' wide game coming into play there was danger all over. On 65 minutes the ball was sent wide by Goldsby-West, and Nick Slaney showed some serious gas as he took off and dotted down for a slither of hope, West kicking the extras to make it 34-14. Oaks may have have scored a couple more tries had it not been for some poor handling, but with time running out, it would be the home side who had the last laugh.

On 78 minutes, Withycombe were back in Oaks' 22 with a penalty. From a scrum Withycombe had two penalty advantages, each time taking another scrum. Oaks were starting to creek, and on the third time of asking, the Withycombe pack demolished the scrum going up the hill to allow Taylor his fourth of the match! The game finished 39-14 to Withycombe, and a sweet one it was after the controversial first fixture between the two sides earlier in the season.

Next week Withycombe travel to Honiton hoping to continue their purple patch of form.