Winscombe RFC

The Winscombe first XV entertained Crediton at the weekend in Regional 2 Tribute South West.

Before the match the two teams were separated by one point in the table and after a thrilling finale, were also separated by a single point on the field of play, the visitors taking the spoils.

Crediton started strongly and after winning the early kicking exchanges set up camp inside the Winscombe 22. A series of defensive infringements eventually saw the visitors kick to the corner from where they set up a driving maul to cross for the first try of the match.

Winscombe rallied after the re-start and moved up-field with a series of powerful carries, securing a penalty within kicking range which centre Sam Dearsley duly slotted. The respite was brief, however, and Crediton finished the first half strongly after forcing a series of penalties near the home try-line which resulted in the first of two yellow cards and a second, converted try, the visitors going into the break 12-3 ahead.

Crediton started the second period where they left off, deftly kicking to space and keeping Winscombe pinned inside their own half. A further two kicked penalties allowed the visitors to stretch their lead to 18-3 and the game appeared to be settled.

As the match moved into its final quarter, however, the tables were suddenly turned with two fine tries by the home team. Winscombe scrum-half Lewis Podpadec spotted a gap to the side of a driving maul and made a clean break to score the first which Dearsley converted from short range.

Shortly afterwards, in the best play of the game, a Winscombe attack down the right touchline saw the ball moved to Dearsley in the centre who broke through three tackles to score beneath the posts himself.

Crediton were clearly tiring and their scrum, which had been so dependable in the first half, began to creak. With a single point separating the two teams Winscombe forced a number of penalties within kicking range with Dearsley agonisingly close, but failing to convert any of them. In the last play of the game, Podpadec also had a chance to seal the game when he again broke through and seemed destined to score under the posts. A scrambled Crediton defence brought him down five metres from the line and the breathless finale came to a close when the ball was kicked dead, ending a thoroughly entertaining encounter.

Winscombe travel to Cullompton in a week’s time and will look to regain some momentum.