Torquay II 17, Sidmouth II 37 Sidmouth Quins got off the mark in the Merit Table with a comprehensive win at Torquay, writes Bob Baugh.

They made the perfect start as the Torquay kick-off failed to go 10-metres.

Following the scrum back Jay Wright chipped ahead for full-back Jack Faulkner to Centre Dom Hawke, making a welcome comeback after a season away, ghosted through the defence to put flanker Ryan Davies in for a try, converted by Adam Squance to extend the lead.

Stuart Bickerstaff’s direct running produced a half break that put Dom Hawke in space and Hawke then fed Faulkner who scampered over for his second try.

The home sides large set of forwards drove over wide out to open their account.

The Quins forwards, for their part, worked well as a unit, especially the front row trio at scrum time.

Adrian Wilson made an impressive debut at loose head. Fellow prop Mark Osbourne’s loose play did the groundwork for hooker Tom Reed to bulldoze through the Torquay defence leaving it in tatters from 25-metres out for another unconverted try.

Just before the break a Torquay kick into the Quins 22 allowed Faulkner to look up and plot a route back down field. There followed a mazy 75-metre run ending in a try under the posts, a classic way to seal a hat-trick of tries! Adam Squance slotted the conversion and Sidmouth trooped off for a deserved break leading 29-5.

From the restart the Quins consolidated their lead playing rugby in the Torquay half, though the home side did manage a couple of tries, but any thoughts of a revival were scotched when Stuart Bickerstaff darted up the blind side to score in the corner.

The final word fell to Squance as he popped over a penalty to complete the scoring.

On Saturday Quins host Crediton at the Blackmore with the match kicking-off at 2.30pm.