A round-up of local rugby and football on the second Saturday of April

Sidmouth are the 2018/19 Tribute Western Counties champions.

The Chiefs went into the final match day of the league campaign knowing that if they did not win their game at Saltash then the likelihood was that they would not even finish in a top three berth. However, what just as clear was that victory at Saltash and the title would be there’s.

Chiefs won 40-11 in Cornwall and it was just as well for the other two chasing the title in a close conclusion to the league season also won. Crediton defeated visiting Wadebridge Camels 38-26 and Wellington won their Somerset derby at Chard 43-12.

All that meant that the top three all ended the season having topped 100 points with Chiefs winning the title by virtue of them accruing 103 points with Crediton, on 101, second and Wellington, with 100, having to settle for third.

As for the other East Devon teams and their respective results on the final Saturday of the league campaign; Honiton finished as runners-up in the Tribute Cornwall and Devon division after they won their final game at home to Topsham 67-26 while the only team to start the day above them ion the table, Penryn, defeated Plymouth Albion oaks 66-7 to secure the title, but Honiton will, like Sidmouth, be stepping up a level next season.

Exmouth won their final game of the South West premier season, wining 28-20 at Cleve while Withycombe, who will drop a division, lost their final Tribute Cornwall and Devon game, going down 25-9 at Lanner and the Raleigh Park men end the term as the basement side in the division.

FOOTBALL

There was no Sidmouth Town, South West Peninsula League action on the second Saturday of April – though the Vikings are at home on Tuesday night (April 16) to Axminster and then visit Budleigh Salterton on Good Friday morning (11am).

As for the other East Devon-based sides I the SWP League; Honiton Town shared six goals with hosts Teignmouth and Axminster Town won 5-0 at Waldon Athletic.

In Macron League football, in the Premier Division, Beer Albion went down 6-1 at home to Exwick Villa while Feniton were beaten 4-1 by visiting Colyton. Upottery also lost at home, they were beaten 1-0 by Cronies while the Exmouth Town Reserves versus Lyme Regis meeting ended without a goal at either end of the pitch.

In Division One there was a splendid 4-2 home win for Sidmouth Town Reserves against Kentisbeare. Tipton St John lost their Division Two game at Honiton Town Reserves 3-2 while, in Division Three, Ottery had their title hopes dented by a 3-0 home defeat to a Lympstone side that now has sufficient game sin hand to overhaul the Otters for the top honour – through the pair must meet again before the end of the campaign in what really is now looking like a ‘winner takes all’ encounter. Beer Reserves shared four goals with hosts Otterton in another Division Three encounter.

In Division Five, Sidmouth thirds thrashed Starcross Generals 9-1