Devon Senior Cup Final

Exmouth 19 - 23 Barnstaple

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Outside of the National Leagues, Exmouth and Barnstaple are the top sides in Devon and it was apt that they should contest the final of the Devon Senior Cup at the Imperial Ground on Saturday. With their two League contests all square, coming into the game there was little to choose between the two but by the end of the first quarter the sides were chalk and cheese with Barnstaple totally dominant and Exmouth in for a long afternoon. To their credit the Cockles fought back and, at one point in the second half took the lead and had they turned the screw at that point the result might have been different.

The wind that has dogged the Imperial Ground for the past few weeks was again blowing in from the West giving a slight advantage to Exmouth who faced up to the Barnstaple kick off. Richard Cadywould tried to stamp his mark within minutes but his drop goal attempt never really looked on. A couple of penalties passed the initiative to Barum and with seven minutes on the clock they stunned the home supporters when Mark Gulliford won a mauling contest with his opposite number and touched down in the corner. Barnstaple were calling most of the shots and they were applying a lot of pressure at both scrum and lineout. With twelve minutes gone they were awarded a penalty ten metres out from the Exmouth line following a well drilled catch and drive. Whilst the Cockles were re-grouping, quick thinking Barum scrum half, Dan Frost, took a tap penalty and ran the short distance to the line virtually unopposed. His No 10 partner Neil Giddy added the points and Barnstaple were 12pts-nil in the lead.

When Giddy slotted another penalty from thirty metres out with barely twenty five minutes played the fifteen point lead started to look out of reach to the Cockles. Stuart Lowe joined the fray and having spent most of the game in their own half the Cockles regained some control and they started to run the ball. This change of tack quickly produced a spectacular try for Mark Wathes. The Cockles skipper started the move himself in his own 22 and with assistance from Gary Hooper he finished the move by scoring in the corner. For the remaining ten minutes of the half Exmouth rested the game from Barnstaple with Dale Sleeman and Jack Downie going close but it was a Richard Cadywould drop goal, followed by a penalty right on time that closed the gap to four points.

Exmouth restarted the second half and brought on Graham Smith replacing Chris Strong in the back row. With ten minutes of the half played the Cockles got ahead for the only time when Gary Hooper made a break and with his forwards in support a driving maul took them over the line. Dale Sleeman made the touch down and with a point between the two teams the final was now living up to expectations.

Referee Clare Daniels from the Somerset RRS sent Stuart Lowe to the sin bin five minutes later and the pressure from Barnstaple was beginning to build up. Almost inevitably it was fullback Paul Scheres who started the move that ended with winger Matt Slee scoring in the corner and Barnstaple were back in the lead at 20pts-16. Marty Kerslake came on to replace Andrew Smith, a disallowed try added to the tension and with just eight minutes left to the final whistle the nerves started to jangle when Richard Cadywould took his side to within a point of Barnstaple with a well taken drop goal.

Exmouth replacements Thomas Blampied and Barney Pasqual provided more fresh legs and when Barnstaple were penalised following the restart the Cockles had an opportunity to create something. A moment of indiscipline cancelled this out when the penalty was reversed and Josh Squire slotted the penalty to increase the Barnstaple lead to four points. Barnstaple stood up to the final Exmouth onslaught and when Clare Daniels brought the game to an end both sides could congratulate themselves for having provided what was an exciting Cup Final.

Half time entertainment provided by Brutus the Bear