Photos of the game by Mike Yeats
For the first time since 2019 because of the Virus, we took on Torbay Sharks on The Rectory.
In past games we have always faced a strong team. Today was likely to be no different. With players from a wide range of teams from the Torbay area, Mid Devon, Somerset and if the original team stood from Worcester.
If my memory is right we have won one and lost two games against them.

The match started under bright but grey skies and as it went along the clouds went and it became hot.
From the off we put pressure on the Sharks getting well into their half and after five minutes and a couple of lineouts we won a penalty that Sam Matts kicked over for a 3~0 lead.
On eight minutes a simple backs move that started inside our halfway with Tom Richards making a good run, when he was tackled he made the ball available one-handed and eventually it got to Toby Knowles on about halfway who sped down the clubhouse side touchline in a style recognisable from one hundred yards away, a couple of steps inside wrong-footing a couple of defenders, ten feet short of the line two defenders got hold of him but his momentum took him and them just over the line and with a raised finger the first try, the conversion was missed. 8~0.

Thirteen minutes and almost the first time they got into our half a try for Sharks, the move came down the clubhouse side, was stopped then inside the scorer had a lovely silky run in by Eoghan Westhoff managing to avoid a number of defenders to score about halfway out from the posts, the Tom Osborn conversion attempt rattled the seaward side post and bounced dead. 8~5.

Five minutes later a try to the Combination, a scrum inside their twenty-two and on the clubhouse sideline, easily held, No 8 Ryan McKibbin picked and went, stopped then passed to the 3s, it got to Jake LeGassick who, without hesitation, took the straight route to the try line, as with the first try as he got there two defenders grabbed him but again his momentum took him over and under the crossbar to score. Sam Matts had an easy conversion to make it 15~5.
On twenty minutes Sharks kept up the pressure with a lovely solo try again from Eoghan Westhoff from the twenty-two in much the same spot as the first one, the Tom Osborn conversion went over. 15~12. It looked like Torbay were getting into their stride, and then from a deliberate knock-on by us when they were in attack they won a penalty and from the twenty-two and midfield Tom Osborn kicked it over. 15~15.

Closing in on half time Toby Knowles scored his second try. We kicked for a lineout that was won by James Hocking and it went to the backs and he went in from about halfway across the twenty-two, a difficult sideline conversion and from just outside the twenty-two line attempt by Sam Matts went over. 22~15 at halftime.

At this point a close game with the scrums even though I think we had the smallest of edges but nothing in it, the lineouts were going well on the whole for both teams though we did steal one throw. At 22~15 it looked as if the first team to score after the restart might win by a short head.
As it was the Combination scored first when Toby Knowles scored his third at the school end. We kicked off to them, they did not field it well and we knocked on, from their scrum they sent it to the threes but halfway along they fumbled it and we stole the ball and attacked down the seaward side, good defence stopped us short of the line so we sent it back towards the stand for Toby Knowles to run it in. The sideline conversion was missed. 27~15. This looked like the decisive moment in the game.
Three minutes later we scored again after an exchange of kicks that did not make touch. It went back to the threes and ended with flanker James Hocking who had an excellent run from just inside the halfway line, a couple of handoffs and he made it to within ten feet of the line before he was stopped, he popped it to Jake LeGassick who had an easy second try for himself, the Sam Matts conversion went over. 34~15.

Sixteen minutes in and a Torbay try. Clearly they had not given up. We were attacking but gave away a scrum inside their twenty-two, we were penalised for an early push. They did a quick tap and got up close to our line then after a couple of attempts got over it but were held up but we had infringed so they tapped again and went for the line, after a number of thrusts and counter trusts the Tom Osborn forced his way over for the try. An easy conversion went over and the score changed to 34~22.
With another twenty-three minutes to go a score by the Sharks could make for a tight finish.

Fifteen minutes later we won a penalty midfield and on their twenty-two that Sam Matts put over. 37~22. With about twelve minutes to go that extra score made the game reasonably safe.
We continued to attack with some very smooth handling and a good run by Delvin Skinner on the wing.
There was a moment when the referees and linesmen had a discussion over a possible score, close to their line the ball unexpectedly shot back over their line, a Combination player quickly reacted and ran and dived on it at the same time as a defender, there were a number of players milling about so the referees and their assistants and almost everyone else could not really see what the result was, at the end of their discussion the referee, quite rightly, signalled no try because he could not be certain of the touchdown.
Then Delvin Skinner for the Combination got over the line and touched down on the left-wing but the linesman flagged for a foot just in touch a few yards out.
On thirty-six minutes a kick for a lineout to us ended with a well organised catch and drive and a score for Adam Corbett. The conversion was missed. 42~22.
At this point the Sharks seem to wilt and in the next couple of scrums we pushed them back rather more.
Those scrums were five yards out on the stand side, the first went around, the second pushed them back four feet and looked as if we were going for a drive over, it stopped when the Torbay pack stated to go down, held at No 8 Ryan McKibbin’s feet for a few seconds then to the backs, Tom Richards did a single attacking step and a slight dummy and beat the oncoming defender then passed it on, lastly a long looping pass to Greg Parrott who did not have to go far to score. 47~22.
That was how it remained till the final whistle from Paul Stinchcombe.

All in all a well-played game from both teams both in spirit and in skill and on a sunny day before a decent crowd of a couple of hundred.
In my view, Tom Richard was key for us not so much in magnificent runs but in simply taking and giving the ball with thought to get the others going in the best directions.
For a team playing for the first time together and with only one training session they looked as if they had played as a team for years, a great credit to them, their clubs and to coach Shaun Bedford-Smith.
It was to have been his swan song but I think that flushed with the success he might carry on next year.

Afterwards the usual speeches and an exchange of presentations between Russ Baker, the Sharks team manager, and Richard Belli the Combination Chairman.
Next season we will meet again in one of the Torbay clubs.

The Plymouth Combination team.
Josh O/Neil, Tavistock.
Adam Corbet. Tamar Saracens.
Tom Hicklin, Tamar Saracens.
Dan Smith, Plymouth Argaum.
James Douglas, Old Technicians.
Jamie Legg, Tavistock.
James Hocking. Devonport Services.
Ryan McKibbin. Plymstock Albion Oaks.
Sam Matts, OPMs
Jack Easton, Tavistock.
Green Parrott. Tamar Saracens.
Tom Richards, (C) Devonport Services.
Jake LeGassick, Tavistock.
Toby Knowles, Devonport Services.
Fred Smale, OPMs
Connor McQueen, Old Technicians.
Billy Garrett, OPMs.
Charlie Brown, Tavistock.
19. Lewis Harvey, Old Technicians.
20. Delvin Skinner, Devonport Services.

Manager Shaun Bedford- Smith assisted by Peter Lethbridge.

Torbay Sharks. (as published but may have changed a couple of players)
Matt Page, Wiveliscombe.
Tom Osborne, Newton Abbot.
Lee Waddon, Wellington.
Stan Mortensen, Ivel Barbarians.
Tom White, Okehampton.
Jake Bury (C), Newton Abbot.
Phil Rawle, Malvern.
Scott Mason, Newton Abbot.
Neil Johns, Torquay Athletic.
Stuart Heal, Bridgwater and Albion.
Lloyd Cotton, Hush Tigers.
Gary Basson, Bridgwater and Albion.
Bleddyn Davies, Bridgwater and Albion.
Luke Moore, Newton Abbot.
Aaron Smith, Newton Abbot.
George Franklyn, Teignmouth.
Tom Havill, New Cross.
Luke Richardson, Ivybridge.
Simon Gingell, North Petherton.
Jake Symes, Newton Abbot.
Lee Smith Teignmouth.

Manager. Russ Baker.

Referee. Paul Stinchcombe.
Linesmen.Lee Maher and Simon Davies.