Cullompton 2nds 25, Sidmouth 2nds 10 In testing conditions both sides produced some open rugby endeavouring, whenever possible, to move the ball wide, but for obvious reasons the game had long spells where forward play dominated, writes Robert Baugh.

The Quins started the game the stronger with Cully being penned in their own half for the first 15 minutes as the forwards went through the phases with Tom Irish and Tony Martin prominent, the home side not helping their cause, conceding a series of penalties, none of kicks on goal being converted.

It was Cully who opened the scoring with a penalty followed soon after by a converted try from their scrum half’s sniping run.

The Quins finished the half strongly with wing Jevon Astley-Jones showing his paces with some attacking runs after good approach work by centres’ Scott Davies and Johnny Hamill, but the home sides defence proved to be sound and Quins went into the break 10-0 down.

In the second half with conditions deteriorating full back Robbie Ross lifted the gloom by taking a miscued clearance kick on the halfway line and somehow managed to mesmerise the defence, and some of his own team mates, as he ghosted through to score a spectacular try!

Cully immediately responded by capitalising on a lost ball from the restart to score wide out. A break from his own half saw Johnny Hamill go to Cully’s 22-metre line only to see the final pass go awry, but following a penalty in front of the posts scrum half Steve Trim using all his experience and guile saw space out wide, taking the a quick tap fed Ben Pratt whose timed pass saw Johnny Hamill go over for a deserved try.

With one score separating the teams, it was clear the next score would seal the contest and it was the home side who got not one, but tow further tries as they finished strongly.