Sidmouth Colts 24, Weston Hornets 47 Hornets were one of the best Colts teams to visit the Blackmore for several seasons, writes Dan Goddard.

Last year, as Under-17s, they won the national title and with a team packed with U18 senior colts they were an impressive outfit.

Organised, crafty and, confident and with influential players at prop, hooker, number-eight, scrum half and inside centre, this was a real test for the Sidmouth team.

After gifting Hornets the perfect start, a training night try off a midfield scrum, Sidmouth regained some composure and went score for score with the visitors.

Dan Powell showed his class and an eye for space with a mazy run and try. Luke Wells Burr took a good cut-out pass from Goddard, made an outside break. He still had plenty to do before scoring, but the move continued and Ed Thomas showed confidence and determination to finish a well-executed blindside move from the back of a scrum.

In between these scores Hornets played a well organised game. Good ball retention stretched the Sidmouth defence and Hornets moved the ball accurately and quickly with their inside centre picking beautiful running lines all afternoon.

Once in front Hornets fought hard to hold their lead and won the second half by three tries to one which was an elusive and determined run by Charlie Cotton.

The Sidmouth squad, which included 14 junior colts, can take genuine encouragement from this performance leading into a run of tough matches starting with Exmouth at home on Saturday and followed by consecutive home game against Tavistock and Ivybridge.