The rain stops and the temperature drops!! Sidmouth Under-10s travelled to Okehampton where conditions were barely above freezing and, although the pitch was nice and firm, the chill factor took the strength out of everyone present, writes Mark Williams.

After 40 minutes warm up waiting for the home side to arrive (their central heating was obviously keeping them indoors!) the game finally got under way.

Sidmouth got off to an uncharacteristically strong start and raced into a 20-0 lead.

Sadly, perhaps thinking the job was done, they took their foot of the pedal sufficiently for the home side to come back into the game and the teams trooped off for a deserved break with Sidmouth 35-25 to the good.

With a slight change of personal and the introductions of a couple of Sidmouth’s big guns, the game was steadied and although they still shipped a few tries from lack lustre tackling, hat-tricks from Henry Williams, James Nicholls and Charlie McCaig settled the result in favour of Sidmouth.

Finally, it was time to take our limbs, scarlet from the cold, inside for a much deserved and needed hot meal and drink just before the frostbite set in!

Very well done to all the boys for keeping going in such cold and please spare a thought for their parents shivering on the touchline.