Sat 22 Feb 2020
The A XV travelled to Twomeads on Saturday hoping to reverse their home result when they met Salcombe earlier in the season. Having had two weeks off with a walkover and postponement due to the weather Kingsbridge had a full squad for this top of the table clash. Kings played the first half with the advantage of the wind, but from the kickoff Salcombe put them under pressure by claiming the ball after the none of the away side wanted to catch it and after a few phases the defence managed to push Salcombe into touch. After that first minute scare Kings cleared their lines and put the pressure on Salcombe in their own half and this resulted in Kingsbridge being awarded a five metre scrum after the forwards were held up over the line, the away side managed to get a good drive in the scrum and with a certain push over try coming, the Salcombe scrum half dived on the ball before it had crossed the line and Kings were awarded a penalty try and the home side scrum half ten minutes in the sin bin. Although Kingsbridge had a man advantage for the next ten minutes they didn't worry the scoreboard again (not for want of trying) until the last minute of the sin bin. Salcombe had managed to clear their lines and Kings started an attack from their own twenty two. Slick hands through the backs saw Man of the Match James Ogglesby receive the ball on his ten metre line he then chipped the ball over the onrushing defence and winger Max Bewley, even though he was body checked by his opposite number, managed to collect the bouncing ball, hand off the fullback and stay in play to touchdown in the corner to take the score to 0 - 12. This was to be the final score of the first half as Salcombe managed to thwart the Kingsbridge attacks on their line. Not for the first time this season the A XV turned around at the half wondering if they had managed to score enough in the first half with the advantage of the wind. Again the answer thanks to the teams effort in defence meant Salcombe did not manage to cross the line until the 71st minute this was converted to make the score 7 - 12. Kings had had a chance to score before this but for a forward pass to Ogglesby that had put him into space on the wing. The last nine minutes were nail biting as Kingsbridge had a chance of increasing the lead when Jack Mason broke through the home sides defence only to be tackled 5 metres short. Kingsbridge then managed to almost snatch a defeat from the jaws of a win when Ogglesby collected a kicked ball in his own half, sprinted to Salcombes 10 meter line and then looked to chip the ball into the oppositions 22, unfortunately the wind got hold of the ball and landed in a Salcombe wingers hands with a try looking certain Ogglesby managed to sprint back and tackle the winger about ten metres out, the winger managed to pass the ball in the tackle but captain Dave Evans had also managed to get back and tackle the receiver and the Salcombe player knocked the ball on,.this happened with 2 minutes to go and Kingsbridge managed to control the ball for those last minutes to take the win and remain unbeaten this year. Once again praise should go to the whole squad as again the win was down to strong teamwork. Hopefully this will continue next weekend when they welcome St. Columba & Torpoint.
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