Sidmouth Under-14s went down 38-19 to a powerful Ivybridge side, but the final score line does not do justice to a terrific all-round show from the home side.

The visitors had a number of elite players in their ranks and were certainly on the large side across the park!

However, it was Sidmouth’s number eight Joe Elsworthy who sparkled throughout and it was he who opened the scoring when he smashed his way through the Bridgers defensive line.

The visitor’s hit back with a combination of pace and power, though Sidmouth did not help their cause by adopting some questionable defending!

The main difference between the two teams manifested at the breakdown where Sidmouth hesitated and Ivybridge smothered then cleaned out with aggression and sound technique.

The opposition ‘pick-an-drive’ was a well-executed process that the home side found mighty difficult to deal with.

It’s hard to win a game with limited ball supply, but Sidmouth’s classy threes always threatened to score when in possession. Finlay Morgan was again exceptional in the fly-half role and he produced a mature performance with his kicking, constantly gaining good field position and Finlay Jonson carried well taking the fight to the opponents.

Ivybridge scored several more individual tries, but the score of the match came after strong runs from Owen Tidball and Finlay Jonson took play deep into the Bridgers 22. Archie Rowe, at scrum half, snaffled the ball away and assessed his options in a blink. The defensive trigger had been pulled and Sidmouth’s fly half was about to take ball and man. However, Rowe called their bluff, accelerated through traffic and threaded a pinpoint grubber through the eye of the needle. Finlay Morgan stormed past the defence now going in the wrong direction and powered onto the ball which sat up perfectly to gather and be dotted down!

Fortune favours the brave and this try would have graced any Premiership match.

Sidmouth play their Devon Cup quarter-final tie at Sidford on Sunday (February 14).