Sidmouth continued their fine recent form in the South West One West division with a win over North Petherton in a match that was switched to Sidford owing to a waterlogged Blackmore playing surface.

It was a case of 'muddy action' for Sidmouth as they recorded a second successive South West One West victorty defeating North Petherton 23-8 in a game that was switched late in the day from the Blackmore to the drier surface at Sidford.

The Chiefs were quickly into their stride scoring a brace of early tries and they led 12-3 at half-time.

In the second half much of the play was a forward battle played out ijn driving sleet and rain and the Chiefs added another 11 points to their tally to seal a 23-8 success.

That's 11 wins in 20 league outings this season for the Chiefs who are on course for a top six finish in their South West One West campaign.

In terms of the other East Devon rugby action on another soggy Saturday, Exmouth went down 18-12 at Brixham and now have just six games left to secure their South West Premier place for another season. The Cockles sit three points above the bottom two with Newbury Blues having a game more being three points worse off and bottom are Bracknell who have, like the Cockles, played 18 and the Berkshire-based basement dwellers are four points shy of the Cockles.

All but one of the days South West Premier division matches were played with just one falling to the weather and the was the Weston-super-Mare versus Maidenhead fixture.

All the other games produced league wins and Barnstaole are now one win away from promotion after they beat visiitng Launceston 13-6. Barcknell defeated Ivybridge 43-18, Camborne saw off Exeter University 36-5 and Okehampton beat Newbury Blues 19-12.

Next Saturday (March 7) the South West Premier fixture schedule sees the Cockles entertaining Camborne while Exeter University host Drybrook, Ivybridge receive Brixham, Maidenhead host Barnstaple and Newbury Blues entertain Weston-super-Mare while Launceston are at home to Bracknell.

Honiton were narrowly beaten on their visit to Falmouth for a Western Counties West fixture that they lost 16-13. The game was one of just three in the division that managed to beat the weather. The two other games played were at Wadebridge Camels, who beat Tiverton 10 and at Wivelsicombe where Kingsbridge won 20-14. The games between Bideford and St Austell, Chard and Saltash, Cullomptikna nd Penryn and Wellington versus Teignmouth, were all called off.

Withycombe's march towards Devon One glory continued at pace as they defeated Ilfracombe 37-8.

With second placed Tamar Sarcens losing 10-8 at Torrington it means that Withy are almost there in terms of being crowned divisional champions and they head into the month of March sporting a healthy 20 point lead at the top of the table. The other Devon One fixtures played on the final Saturday of February saw Old Technicians win 15-7 at Buckfastleigh Ramblers while OPMs were 7-0 winners at Darmouth and the one game to suffer a postponement was the Exeter Saracens meeting with New Cross.