Exmouth 17 - 12 Torquay

On Saturday Exmouth RFC Quins entertained Torquay seconds in the league and with Exmouth fourth in the league and Torquay fifth it promised to be a hard fought game.

 
Exmouth started the game playing with the wind and got right into their stride forcing Torquay back into their twenty two, and within four minutes had their first score on the board. They were awarded a scrummage ten metres from the Torquay line, number eight John Bird picked up the ball from the base of the scrum went blind drew the defender, fed scrum half Adam Garner who went over the try line to score in the corner, the conversion was missed which made it five nil to the Quins.

Exmouth added to their score in the nineteenth minute, when from a well taken lineout on the Torquay twenty two metre line, the forward took the ball into the mid field with several forward drives, then delivered quick ball to the scrum half who again went blind and fed the ball to winger Terry Mears who evaded two defenders to score under the posts, the conversion was kicked by Ed Kirk, twelve nil to Exmouth. Bang on the stroke of half time Torquay were awarded a penalty which they converted to make the half time score line twelve points to three in Exmouth's favour.

 
The second half started much the same as the first but with the roles reversed, Torquay put the Quins under pressure however the Exmouth defense stood fast and Torquay were unable to score. Exmouth slowly forced their way back up the pitch due to some powerful driving mauls from the Exmouth forwards, after about five or six phases the forwards produced quick ball to the scrum half, the ball was spun along the three quarter line to full back Brad Perkins who crossed the Torquay line to score, seventeen three to Exmouth. Torquay came back at Exmouth straight from the kick off and within minutes scored a try, making the score line seventeen eight to Exmouth.

The last twenty minutes of the game saw Exmouth forcing Torquay on the back foot with some powerful forward pressure and slick handling from the three's but were just denied any further scores by some very strong Torquay defending. It was Torquay however that came up with the final score of the match when in the forty fourth minute of the second half they went over the Exmouth line to score their second try and make the final score line of seventeen points to Exmouth and twelve to Torquay.

 
Credit has to go to both sides in playing such an entertaining game of rugby in the conditions, in particular to the five youngsters in the Quins squad four of whom came up from the Colts, Sam Bull, Matt Kain, Kev Rodwell and Shaun Fayter and the fifth Ed Khodabandehloo who made his front row debut for Exmouth.