Sat 26 Oct 2019
The A XV's first home game of the season welcomed local rivals Salcombe to High House for a Merit Table clash. With both teams able to field a full side plus reserves it looked as if it would bea good contest. Kick off took place in damp and windy conditions with Kingsbridge receiving, after a number of phases, and taking the ball up to their own 10 meter line, they were penalized at the ruck and Salcombe took the lead 0-3 by converting the penalty. From the resulting kick off Kingsbridge managed to keep Salcombe in there own 22 for a while with good tackling, Salcombe then released the pressure with a long kick downfield; and an unfortunate mix up between the home winger and fullback saw a loose ball being picked up by the away team and sprinting over the line for the first try of the game, this was duly converted and Salcombe were leading by 10 points. Kingsbridge then seemed to be camped in they away teams twenty two for the rest of the first half. And after countless attacks by the forwards, with Salcombe being reduced to 14 for ten minutes because of continuous infringements, the home team finally got on the scoreboard when Joe Hannon crashed through from close range. James Baker converted and that completed the score of the first half with Salcombe leading 7 - 10.
Five minutes into the second half Salcombe had had most of the possession and this resulted in them moving the ball in the backs and with good handling an overlap was created and they scored out wide. this gave them and 8 point lead, which lasted until 10 minutes to the end of the game when Baker converted a penalty in the twenty two, after Kingsbridge had been camped there for a long time. this put the A VX within one converted try of victory and the home crowd were hoping for a grandstand finish. But this was not to be, as Salcombe were awarded a penalty in Kingsbridge's twenty two a couple of minutes later which they converted. This was the final score of the game as the away team kept Kingsbridge pinned in their own half with some clever kicking. With the score being 10 - 18 one positive Kingsbridge can take from the game is they picked up a losing bonus point.
Team selected from: Jacob Knight, Jack Taylor, Joe Hannon, John Tucker, James Lake, Sam Darke, Joe Dixon, Jon Merrin, Dave Evans, James Baker, Dale Jeffries, Will Haddy, Nick Bidwell, Max Bewley, Billy Oram, Brecon Trigger, Sam Canning, Sam Roberts, Harry Usher
