Withycombe Take The Derby!

Saturday at Raleigh Park hosted the Exmouth Derby once again as Withycombe 2nds took on Exmouth 3rds in what would turn out to be a titanic clash. Over the past few seasons, Exmouth have taken the spoils and the bragging rights around the town in this fixture, which added even more fire in the bellies than usual for the Green and Blacks. But this would only add to mix the makings of an absolute slobberknocker!

Withycombe Match Secretary Neil Price was reported as saying before the game that to beat Exmouth, Withycombe would have to "play the conditions" and that the Front Eight would have to "win the battle in the trenches".

However, with all that in the back of the mind, Exmouth struck devastatingly quickly. After just three minutes and some strong running, they crossed the Withy whitewash for an unconverted score. Any hopes of some reprieve were thrown straight back in the Withycombe faces as on the ten minute mark, Exmouth broke strongly down the far side of the pitch and crossed over for their second try. The only salvation at this point in time for Withycombe was the stand out defence from Lucas Bland, although not even he could stop the Exmouth Express early doors.

With the Green and Blacks slow start, there were some glimmers of hope as their forward superiority at the scrum was only too telling. Up the slope Withycombe went, and with a penalty in Exmouths 22, they got a penalty. Back to the scrum, and another, and another, until the ball was carried blind. Two phases later and right across the pitch, winger Ben West got the ball in some space. He drove towards the line, bumping a player out of his way as he rumbled over in Clubhouse Corner and an eruption from the Withy faithful. The extras were missed, and the scoreline 10-5 and very much game on!

With the pitch deteriorating, the game became a slugfest in the middle fifty. Withycombe would continue to tighten the screw in the scrums, turning over a couple in the process. Si Wroe was being an absolute pest as his work rate at the ruck and his tackle count had more hits than Kim Kardashians Instagram! But to no avail as they struggled to break through the astute Exmouth defence. Withycombes hopes of a stunning victory were dashed right at the half time whistle, as blindside flanker Doug Wibberley was sent to the sin bin, albeit not surprisingly given it being Doug! The teams would turn around 10-5 and all to play for in the second half.

In a reverse carbon copy of the first half, Withy came flying out the blocks in the second! Setting up camp in the Exmouth half, and after another scrum penalty, Tom Parnell tapped and went. From the two ensuing breakdowns, centre Chris Jenkins took the ball with a ten metre run up and blasted his way through a gap reminiscent of the Red Sea parting, going under the posts untouched! Adam Ykhelf kicked the conversion to put the Green and Blacks in front 12-10.

Not to be outdone, Exmouth came alive. Back up the pitch they went, and after some good hands going wide they broke up the left side of the pitch. Only a last ditch tackle from Bland spared Withycombe. Andrei "Bison" Toma came off the bench and was a stalwart in defence, as were the aforementioned Wroe, Wibberley and Brian Fardoe. The Withies got out of trouble, and with Jake Cornish taking the ball back down with interest certainly helped take the pressure off. Prop Steve Costa managed to get his hands on the ball and have a couple of rumbles to get Withy on the front foot, but it was fly half Adam Ykhelf, who's fantastic territory kicking kept putting Exmouth on the back foot time and again.

The next points were crucial for both sides, and both were going "hammer and tongs" at each other. Fortunately for Withycombe, they may have hammered slightly more than tonged after more good work at recycling the breakdown, the omnipresent Man of the Match Si Wroe bulldozed his way under the posts to send Raleigh Park into pandemonium with only ten minutes to go. Ykhelf added the extras to send Withy 19-10 up.

The last ten minutes were fiercely contested, but with no more scores, the referee blew the final whistle on the Exmouth derby, Withycombe coming out with the deserved win after shutting Exmouth out for most of the match. Both teams worked tirelessly, particularly in defence, but Withycombes forward prowess was probably the difference maker.

Next week Withycombe 2nds look to carry on their winning ways with a trip to Alhallows Playing Fields as they take on Honiton 2nds. Withycombe 1sts take on Honiton 1sts at Raleigh Park in a East Devon Derby Double Whammy!