The Sidmouth Under-13 girls’ team showed just how much they continue to improve as they came up against a powerful and experienced Kingsbridge side who beat them, but were made to work hard for the success.

The rugby played by the Sidmouth team was their best to date this season ands was made all the more impressive given the fact that Kingsbridge girls are a nationally ranked outfit.

Kingsbridge forced the pace of the play and certainly left the referee behind a couple of times!

The first quarter saw the Sidmouth girls start slowly as the larger and more practised Kingsbridge girls made their presence felt. Indeed, had it not been for the outstanding tackling by Abbie French and Cleo Turley the contest could have been over in the early stages.

It was in the third quarter that the Sidmouth girls suddenly realised that they could compete with the visitors and, although they were edged out 2-1 in the quarter, it had been a war of attrition fought near the Sidmouth try line.

Hatty Tremlett did manage to break through the Kingsbridge lines and touch down in the corner which marked a return of confidence in the Sidmouth side.

The final quarter saw Sidmouth putting in hard tackles from Ellie Monro Higgs, Amy Scott and Lucy Tanner allowing runs to be made by Ellie Wood and again Hatty Tremlett.

For the first time it seemed Sidmouth were on the front foot and no longer holding on at their try line. Daisy Grove got up into the opposition faces to tackle, Esme Bagwell and Lily Baker made some half-breaks, Zoe Allen seemed to aim for their biggest players to tackle, Minty May tried to create space for Anabelle Emmott, Jessica Perry and Anabelle Birdon the outside.

The scores in the final quarter remained level until the final minute when Kingsbridge scored a breakaway try.

Zoe Allen was picked as Player of the Match by coach Phil Grove, for not missing a tackle all day.