Axon Signs Off With Defeat

The tolls of a long season were all too evident at Bodmin on Saturday as Withycombe succumbed to their sixth defeat of 2015; unthinkable given the start to their season.

With long term injuries to stalwarts like Phil Sluman and Dave Sims and an unfamiliar backline, it was always going to be an uphill battle, literally so in the first half as Withycombe payed into the wind up a considerable slope.

But the early signs were promising. Having received the kickoff, Withycombe went 13 phases uninterrupted and culminating in the Bodmin defence parting for the retiring Axon to waltz over. Bodmin fought back and although they missed two shots at goal, a try followed on 22 minutes which put them 7-5 up.

Withycombe were soon back on top as another march into Bodmin territory gave Tom Steer the opportunity to put Kevin Rodwell away down the blindside. Bodmin missed another penalty but scored another couple of tries before half time to bag themselves an eleven point lead from the considerable advantage in conditions.

Despite plenty of possession and territory advantage, Withycombe alas could not make the most of the wind and slope in the second half. Seven minutes in, Mike Richards scored from the latest in a series of short-distance scrums, with Channing converting to make it 21-17. A freak injury to the referee with 22 minutes remaining meant that the Bodmin chairman had to kindly step in after fulfilling his duties on the adjacent second team pitch, and this disruption only seemed to add to the Withycombe discord.

It was only after Bodmin scored a breakaway try with little time remaining to all but seal the game, that Withycombe seemed to pick themselves up and play with any purpose. Terry Mears crashed over a minute later to bring Withycombe within one score with the resulting restart being the last play of the game. Some careless handling proved to be Wthycombe's undoing as it had been all day and that was that. The summer rest and regroup has come at a welcome time before Withycombe look to mount another league charge next year. The second team are not done yet though; they host Paignton at Raleigh Park next Saturday.

Withycombe: Glen Layton, Sam Warren, Terry Mears (1T), Tom Steer, Kevin Rodwell, Glenn Channing (1C), John Parkin, Chris Gibbons, Eugene Badenhorst, Liam Cullen, Jon Axon (1T), Tim Wills, Mark Wilkinson, Ben Clark, Mike Richards (1T). Reps: Max Cooke, Josh Bancroft.