On a glorious Saturday afternoon at Raleigh Park, Withycombe took on Saltash in a game which had neutrals salivating in the mouth at the prospect of an early season slobberknocker, and a slobberknocker was what they got as both sides threw the kitchen sink at each other for the full eighty minutes.

Withycombe, coming off the back of two mediocre draws and a win against Bude on the first weekend of the season, needed to win to keep pace with the three teams above them. Saltash went down the previous week to Albion Oaks, so were looking for some bouncebackability themselves.

Withycombe kicked off playing up the slope with the wind behind them, and got an early turnover. The Green and Blacks would keep possesion for the next ten minutes, until a clumsy turnover resulted in Saltash counter attacking down the slope, some French 'jouer' thrown in as they coasted over for a try against the grain of play for Will Morton. An all too familiar story when playing Saltash, Withycombe would have to shape up in defence to stop the juggernaut backs running amok.

The Green and Blacks responded perfectly. After mounting pressure once more in Saltash territory, a penalty was kicked to touch. From the lineout second rower and returning Aussie bulldozer Ryan Hamilton crashed over in Clubhouse Corner to the delight of the home faithful. Both tries went amiss as the scores were level at 5 all. Once Withycombe got the breakthrough, it seemed to rejuvenate them.

Back up the slope they went, with Hamilton and new singing Rob Griffin punching holes in the Saltash defence. With numerous penalties in Saltash' red zone, scrum half Tom Parnell went for the quick tap and dive from five metres out as he slid under two tacklers to dot down for Withycombes second try. Jack Pugsley converted leaving it 12-5.

That wouldn't be it though for Saltash, as even with Withycombes astute defence, they managed another break away try. Although the Withy 'D' was working tirelessly, Ollie Mulberry went over only for the extras to just sail wide, leaving Withycombe with the faintest of leads going into half time at 12-10.

If anyone thought the first half was a dog fight, the second half made the first look like a game of tiddlywinks. Both sets of forwards went for the battering ram offence, and the defence from both sides was equal to it. Man of the Match Tobey Papp was a nuisance all day as was back row partners Neil Williams and Alex Taylor. Centres Danny Sansom and Jack Pugsley chopped anything that moved, even with the Saltash back line being a force to be reckoned with.

Matters weren't helped when Withycombe hooker Dave Richards was sin binned on fifty minutes, but Saltash never made the numerical difference count. With Withies back to fifteen, Saltash started their wave of relentless pressure on the Green and Blacks try line. Wave and wave of attacks came, sometimes only some poor hands scuppering their own chances of a try. Withycombes defences weren't to be broken though, and after Withies Sam Conway was taken out in the air and a yellow card brandished, Conway would go over for Withycombes third try as the home side pulled away for the first time in the match. Pugsley converted, importantly leaving Saltash more than a converted try behind.

With only five minutes to go, Withycombe marched back down the field towards Brook End. Saltash had no option but to go for broke, but a penalty turnover on the last play of the game for Withycombe would lead to a bizarrely chosen penalty kick rather than an attempt for a fourth try that would have resulted in an extra bonus point. However, Pugsley duly kicked the penalty and a 22-10 final scoreline to finish that could turn out to be extremely important going into the business end of the season.

Next week sees Withycombe head over the the Alhallows Playing Field as they take on high flying Honiton in what is sure to be another absolute slobberknocker!