Regional 1 South West

Exmouth 41 Newent RFC 8

NEWENT endured a tough day on the road as Exmouth ran out 41-8 winners after Saturday’s long journey down to Devon.

The opening period set the tone for Newent, who made too many unforced errors, giving Exmouth field position.

And after 10 minutes of pressure, prop Charlie Gibbings opened the scoring for The Cockles, with Dan Mugford converting.

Newent responded well and a neat kick by Tom Webb found touch inside the five-metre line.

Exmouth cleared their line but then a good attack by the visitors was ended when the Exmouth fullback prevented them playing the ball at a ruck, earning a yellow card., with Webb slotting the penalty (7-3).

But the Green Army were penalised shortly afterwards and Mugford made no mistake with the kick (10-3).

The visitors made a promising foray into the home 22 but gave away a penalty which was punished with a huge kick close to Newent’s five-metre line.

And from the ensuing line-out and maul, Exmouth rumbled over for another try by Gibbings, converted from near the touchline by Mugford for a 17-3 half-time score.

Newent started the second half with coach Sam Goatley coming on in the centre, and a backs reshuffle.

Soon after kick-off however, Exmouth won a Newent throw in and the Cockles took full advantage with a powerful run by flanker Nick Headley resulting in a try under the posts by Tom Lomax, Mugford converting (24-3).

A powerful maul by the Cockles then set up a try for Ollie Dawe wide out but for once Mugford missed the conversion (29-3).

The hosts then won a very dubious contested throw-in, which on another day would have given the visitors possession, and a speculative kick into the 22 saw numbers get to the breakdown to secure another try.

Newent then had their best period of the match with some decent flowing moves and the pressure caused the Cockles to concede a second yellow card for failing to roll away at the ruck before possession was conceded when they were penalised at a scrum.

But a great move down the right hand side, started well inside their half by Tom Webb and carried on by Adrian Connelly with a pacy weaving run took them back into the home 22.

A foul by the Exmouth scrum-half earned a card and stopped the momentum, and Newent then were adjudged to have wheeled the scrum resulting in Tom Woodman being given a yellow card.

But the Green Army were eventually rewarded with a try by Kyle Towers in the left hand corner, although Webb was unable to make the difficult conversion.

But disappointingly, after playing all the rugby for 20 minutes, Newent then conceded a try by winger Ned Brown in the last minute whilst trying to play from deep in their own half (41-8).

Coach Goatley said afterwards: “It was a tough afternoon. Like last week we can draw one or two positives – the fight we showed in the second half when things could have gotten really messy – but the results speak for themselves and we can’t shy away from the fact our level of performance is nowhere near where we need it to be.

“We’re going through a tough period but the togetherness of the squad is clear to see and that will help us get through it.”

Newemt 1sts travel to Trowbridge this Saturday, while the 2nds host old Patesians.

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