Two's Don't Lose (at home)

Withycombe 2nd XV welcomed South Molton 2's to Raleigh Park on Saturday afternoon in a Merit Table classic. Although Storm Brian had been rearing his ugly head all day, not even he could dampen the spirits of the Green and Blacks as they romped to victory, putting up a 40 burger in the process as they kept up their impressive undefeated home record this season.

Withycombes Match Secretary Neil Price was quoted as saying that South Molton would be "no pushover" and that the strong wind down the pitch would be worth "at least fifteen points"

Withycombe got out the blocks quickly. Doug Wibberley, Mikey Symons and Neil Williams all getting hands on ball and making gains. Ben West got the ball and made a small foray into SM territory, only for his fifty metre run to come to nothing. Lee Tanton kicked a penalty from in front of the posts though to show some reward for the quick fire start.

On the ten minute mark, Withycombe were rewarded a penalty in their own half. Cue Mikey Symons with a bit of nouse to quick tap as he shot off the mark. He would leave the SM defenders in his dust as he ran it all the way to the House from his own ten metre line! Tanton converted to make it 10-0.

Not to be outshone, South Molton finally strung some passes together. With an offload game the Fijians would be proud of, they rumblked down to the Brook End and got a score of their on. Fifteen minutes later and with not a lot else happening, South Molton would add a penalty kick to their points haul to make it 10-8. With only ten to go in the half, it was shaping up to be a potential slobberknocker!

On thirty five minutes, Withycombes Rob Hayes fielded a SM kick. With a bit of space around him Hayes stepped right, then left, then went through a self made gap. With an empty backfield it was game on, and the Withy touchline was just about cusping on pandemonium as Hayes out paced the covering defender and put boot to ball again. With the ball over the line and still rolling, it took a kick just out of reach of Hayes' hand, just as a covering South Molton player got his lonesome hand to it. It certainly would've been a contender for Try of the Season!

South Molton probably felt like they'd been "let off the hook" well, so they thought. The ensuing twenty two drop out fell into the hands of Neil Williams, and with a run up like a charging bull, he lowered his head and ripped up the red flag as he charged over from forty metres, beating three and palming another defender off. Tanton kicked the extras making it 17-8.

With only minutes to go there was still time for more points. Andy Broadhurst' attempted clearance from in front of his own posts left much to be desired as he was hit as he kicked, and the loose ball was duly picked up by South Molton as they went under the posts for another converted score. And South Molton should've gone ahead as from the restart they broke through on the outside. It was only Rob Hayes' perfect one on one tackle that stopped the rot as the referee blew for halftime, the Green and Blacks holding a slender lead at 17-15.

Withycombe now had the wind behind them, which would let the Withy Express pull away and never look back. On fifty minutes, the Withies won their own scrum. Symons darted off down the blindside, and his offload to Ben West saw the winger "hit the nitrous" as he flew over the line to score. Man of the Match Brad Young was leading the charge with fellow front rowers Dave Thomson and Neil Sharland in the scrums as the forwards started to flex their muscles with two scrum turnovers. And with Lee Tanton pulling the strings the game would open up with half an hour to play.

Sometimes everything goes so well that, probability states that something, at some point, will go wrong. That happened on the fifty eight minute mark as Number 8 and general workhorse Doug Wibberley was sin binned for a high tackle. That wouldn't deter the home side though, as only minutes later Mark Wilkinson had had enough. He picked up the ball and went Route One, fending off any defenders in his path. However, his ageing legs were never taking him to the House, so he off loaded to Rob Hayes who cantered over for another converted try, making it 29-15.

Just before the seventy minute mark, moonlighting centre Alex Taylor found some space. He was half tackled, and his pass to Liam Cullen saw the front rower in a very odd situation... with room in front of him! He shimmied inside and outside, stiff armed a defender and ran it home from twenty metres to make it 34-15 and victory almost a certainty.

With eight minutes to go, South Molton kicked out from their twenty two. Doug Wibberely, refreshed from his time in the proverbial bin, caught the ball and flung a looping pass to Alex Taylor. Taylor needed no second invite as he bulldozed his way through three wailing defenders as he jinked his way to Brook End for his second try of the day.

Four minutes later scrum half Sam Conway broke off of a scrum, and with an overlap created gave it to Rob Hayes. With his trademark fancy footwork that would put MIchael Flatley to shame, he danced around a defender and over the try line from South Moltons ten metre line to wrap up a resounding 46-15 win for the Green and Blacks. Although the scoreline suggests a one sided affair, South Molton were equal for vlarge periods and never gave up.

Next week Withycombe 2nds travel to Torrington for another Merit Table clash as the Withycombe 1sts welcome Torrington in a Tribute Cornwall and Devon league match up.