Your correspondent watched two Sidmouth teams last weekend with both demonstrating qualities of hard work, determination and Team Spirit of which the Club can be proud, writes Pete Bond.

The first match was the under-16s playing a touring team from Cranbrook, Kent, who travelled with a strong contingent of talented players looking forward to their appearance in the Kent County Cup Final on May 5.

From the kick-off the visitors looked dangerous with a game-plan based on very quick possession from set pieces and strong running backs. After an initial period of huge pressure Sidmouth decided to join in and upped their speed and aggression to score two fine tries in the first half one of which must be the ‘try of the season’. Quick service from Harrison Astley-Jones resulted in a line break by Dan Powell with a deliciously-timed offload to Tom Stokes who forced his way in at the corner, all of which was rounded off by a superb touchline conversion by Powell.

This period saw the home team playing as they had threatened all season; intelligent and physical rugby against an equally physical team. The forwards, well commanded by James Thomas, gave as good as they got with Alex Taylor bouncing players off and Connor Fry and Kyle Baker bruising their way forward. The try saving tackle by Bradley Reiff-Arnold on some hapless Kent boy was greeted by sympathetic winces and expressions of sympathy from both sets of supporters. A re-shuffled set of three-quarters played exciting attacking rugby with Harry West at fly-half and Reid Mawdesley reliable as ever at full back. The result went against Sidmouth but the whole team can be justifiably proud of this performance.

The second match was the1st XV playing away at Camborne. Sidmouth’s young and relatively inexperienced team was a joy to watch and achieved a try bonus point against the team lying second in their league with a 100 per cent home record. Both teams demonstrated the same values and attitude in difficult circumstances and all the players should be walking tall this week. To quote SRFC Chairman Mark Seward ‘You couldn’t ask for more of our players, this is a team (teams) of which we can be proud’.