The Devon cup semi-final against Topsham II away.
Topsham opened the scoring after five minutes, we lost a lineout and they made a quick backs move and went in to score the opening points the conversion was missed. 5~0.
On ten minutes, we thought we had scored a try when Toby Moss crossed only to be pulled back in his moment of glory for a forward pass a little earlier.
Then they scored again after a clearance kick went straight in to touch, the referee said we had taken it back in. They won it and their man went in near the posts for an easy conversion and a 12~0 lead.
On twenty minutes we opened our scoring, from a scrum on the top side of the pitch we gave the ball to the backs, it ended with Jack Ryder just outside their twenty two and out wide, he had little difficulty avoiding the defence to cruise in ball in one hand to score near the posts to give Leighton Stark and easy conversion. 12~7.
A couple of minutes later we scored another try. From the top side of the pitch and a break down, Rohan Johnson quickly started the ball running with the backs, George Wagstaff had a super break down the middle before passing it on for Toby Moss to score. With it we took the lead at 14~12.
On thirty-six minutes, Topsham scored in the top corner, after a series of scrappy moves where we stopped them, but the move stumbled on to its conclusion with a try.
A really good sideline conversion from the twenty-two, 19~14.
Just on the half-time whistle, we had a scrum, they pushed us slightly but we got the ball away ending with Toby Moss on the clubhouse side, he ran at the defence just inside their half, chipped the defender and re took the ball deep in to their twenty-two to score. Leighton Stark converted. 19~21.
We had a decent run at their line with Jack Jones making good ground, once at their line we had three attempts to score, the last with Jack Jones, but the referee said “Held up: and blew for half time.

The lineouts were a lottery for both teams; in the scrums we were slightly on top, but only just.
Early in the half, we won a penalty and Leighton Stark put it over, 19~24.
The backs are playing well and are faster than the Topsham backs, the forwards are also playing well but are even with the Topsham forwards.
A penalty to Topsham closed the gap slightly, 22~24
Around about this time Topsham suddenly started pushing us back seriously in the scrums, not sure what has changed.
A try to Topsham after a beautiful kick out of Defence by Topsham from inside their twenty-two and giving them a five-yard scrum. Their forwards drove for the line, stopped and a player peeled off to score. 27~24.
It was our turn to score, Tom Richard had just come on, we won a penalty close in and tapped and went, the move went towards the posts for Tom Richard, in probably his first touch, to score, the Leighton Stark conversion went over. 27~31.
With the clock running down, it was going to be a ‘next score wins’ moment.
Khane Young collected a yellow card, he was not happy. “He said I was offside”
Then Topsham scored from a catch and drive, but the conversion, into a steady breeze, missed the far post. 32~31.
Near the end we had a slim chance to win the game, we were awarded a penalty outside their twenty-two and to one side, kicking across the breeze it went just went wide of the far post.
That was it, shortly afterwards the final whistle went.
Afterwards, Topsham bought us two jugs, which was very hospitable of them.
So that was it. A very welcoming club.
Honiton beat Exeter Saracens on Saturday, so we dropped to third place in the league.
We have one league game against Honiton away left, we need to win that to retake second place. Then the Lockie Cup final against Saltash and a couple of touring teams, Burton and the Coldstream Guards.

The Second team.

1. Yianni Costas.
2. Ethan Hilland.
3. Jack Jones.
4. Al Thomas.
5. Charlie Newcombe.
6. Khane Young.
7. George Wagstaff.
8. Mark Friend.
9. Rohan Johnson.
10. Leighton Stark.
11. Toby Moss.
12. Luke Stannard.
13. Jack Ryder.
14. Ewan Piercy.
15. Olly Mytton.
16. Misa Cvetanovic.
17. Tom Richards.
18. Kaff Simakoloyi
19. Olly Whitfield

The Management.
Steve Hilland esq.