Bournemouth 23 - 0 Exmouth

Last weekend Exmouth travelled to Bournemouth RFC who play their rugby at Chapel Gate, about seven miles from Bournemouth, close to Hurn Airport. Although they will be disappointed that they did not reverse their poor showing on the road this season the young Cockles gained more vital experience at this challenging level of rugby. At one point a big score line looked a possibility and although Bournemouth never looked like losing, the Exmouth heads never dropped and they fronted up to a side now placed third in the League. In defeat they will take encouragement from the fact that when Bournemouth were newly promoted last season they lost their first five games until they settled into the pace and skill required.

 
Exmouth kicked off against a noticeable wind and the home side went on the attack from the start. Murray Daniel tried to drive the ball out of danger but two penalties in quick succession passed the initiative back to Bournemouth. Kicker Mike Pope made a mess of the first one on seven minutes but a minute later made no mistake from the Exmouth 22. Three minutes later referee Richard James (Hants RRS) was not happy when an Exmouth player went off his feet and Mike Pope kicked his second penalty. From the restart Exmouth put themselves under pressure again when the ball was kicked to the Bournemouth backs and only a forward pass prevented another score.

With twenty minutes played outside half Ben Hough, who had shown some promising touches, collided with one of his own players and left the field. Richard Cadywould moved from centre to 10 and Mark Wathes came off the bench into the centre slot. Within minutes a missed first tackle allowed Bournemouth a free run from halfway and with the ball passing through a number of hands a very mobile second row Callum Forrest scored wide out. Mike Pope converted and at 13 pts – nil Bournemouth had taken the game by the scruff of the neck. Somewhat inevitably the referee sin binned an Exmouth player on the half hour and the remaining thirteen did well to restrict the Bournemouth scoring to a Pope penalty during the remaining ten minutes to the break.

 
Trailing by sixteen points the Cockles came back for the second half looking to take the game to Bournemouth. Mark Wathes, Jack Downie and Ben Boswell all made good runs but with only ten minutes played Bournemouth forced an error thirty metres out from the Exmouth line and from the resulting  scrum Sam Hardcastle scored under the posts. Pope converted and with the score at 23pts-nil the result was no longer in doubt. With twenty minutes to the final whistle Bournemouth lost a player to the bin but with Exmouth unable to get into good scoring positions the contest lost some of its edge and ended without any further scores.

 
On Saturday it is the second round of the EDF National Trophy and Exmouth make the 250 mile trip to Kent where they meet National Three side Canterbury.