Sidmouth Quins 29, Crediton II 15 Following an excellent win the previous week, a somewhat revised Sidmouth Quins line-up achieved their best win of the season against a Crediton side that travelled in expectation rather than hope, writes Robert Baugh.

The core of this Sidmouth side is now emerging as the Awkward Squad which has little regard for table position as they deservedly won against a higher ranked team for the second week in succession!

They started in their time honoured fashion of watching the other team score twice before deciding perhaps they might join in. However, it proved to be one of those game changing moments on 30 minutes when a slightly dubious line out deep in the Quins 22 was gathered by flanker Stuart Bickerstaff who fed wing Tom Seward, making a welcome return after a fourteen month injury layoff, to burst through the defence to race in for a 75 metre try, converted by Cameron Grainger.

Prior to this the visitors had the majority of play and territory, having opened the scoring on five minutes with a try wide out. Then after a long period under the cosh the Quins forwards finally succumbed to the visitor’s pack, which drove over from a five-metre scrum for another unconverted try. Following their try the Quins backs were finally rewarded with a deserved try on 37 minutes after several promising moves, Tom Seward inside pass put centre Dom Hawke away to score under the posts again Cameron Grainger adding the extras. From the restart and the kick off not going 10 metres, the scrum back saw Jay Wright dummy and dart away to put his halfback partner Cameron Grainger away to score wide out and Quins trooped off with a 19-10 lead.

Soon after the restart Crediton made for an interesting 40 minutes narrowing the score to four points after their left wing scored a try in the corner. A couple of Sidmouth injuries caused changes to the backline, bringing in Adam Squance, Ollie Tollerfield and Moray Boscence who had all answered the late call up and contributed to the final outcome.

Direct running from fullback Scott Davies put the team back on the front foot, and from a ruck close to the touchline Stuart Bickerstaff sneaked away on the blindside to score.

The Quins made the game safe after a turnover in their own 22, the clearance up field was chased down by Ollie Tollerfield who caught man and ball, the ruck was won and quick ball moved to centre Ben Pratt, who showed pace and power to make it over in the corner, to finish a good game of rugby.

With two big weekends of rugby ahead the Awkward Squad need to maintain their self belief and turn out in full so that their successful run can continue.