Hakes Remain Top With Win at Crediton
Crediton 14 v 28 St Ives
Following last weekend’s victory over Chard at home the St Ives 1st team squad travelled to Crediton in a bid to consolidate their position at the top of the Western Counties West league. Joint head coaches Rob Elloway and Paul Thirlby were forced in to several changes due to unavailability. Tom Chandler came back into the second row with Jamie Hoskin on the flank. Harry Parton moved to number 8 and Pete Mabbott came into the centre with Liam Jolly on the wing.
The game began with Crediton giving a good account of themselves as they pushed St Ives back and tested them in defence. The home side kept up the pressure and were rewarded in the 24th minute with a converted try to give them the lead in the match by 7 points to nil.
St Ives responded well to going behind. They played with patience and determination and stuck to their game plan. Only 3 minutes after going behind the Hakes got back on level terms when Rob Elloway made a break for the line only to be tackled just short. The ball was recycled quickly allowing Paul Thirlby to score the try. Rhys Brownfield converted to level the score at 7 points each.
With St Ives now looking as they were beginning to get a grip on the game left winger Liam Jolly intercepted a wayward Crediton pass just inside his own half and showed excellent pace as he raced over to score St Ives’ second try of the match. Again Brownfield added the conversion to put the Hakes ahead by 14 points to 7 with 37 minutes on the clock.
In the last play of the first half following another St Ives attack, prop Leigh Hocking picked up the ball from a ruck and forced his way over the try line to score his first try for the club. With the last kick of the half Rhys Brownfield kicked the conversion to make the half time score Crediton 7, St Ives 21.
Following the restart St Ives piled on the pressure and the sustained attack was finished off in the 43rd minute with a try for wing forward Chris Quick, which is also his first score for the club. The conversion was kicked by Brownfield, having one of his best kicking days for a number of games, to make the score Crediton 7 St Ives 28.
With the bonus point secured the St Ives players may have been slightly guilty of taking their foot off the gas a little, but this was not helped when the referee showed second row Tom Chandler a yellow card for an alleged offence at a breakdown, reducing the Hakes to 14 men.
Despite being a man down St Ives were able to defend comfortably and Crediton did not threaten their try line again until the last play of the match when they squeezed through for a converted try to make the final score Crediton 14, St Ives 28.
This result sees St Ives maintain their place at the top of the Western Counties West Division but with both the sides in second and third place winning as well St Ives must keep winning to stay at the top. This coming Saturday St Ives welcome second placed Devonport Services to Alexandra Road in what is sure to be an enthralling match. Kick off in St Ives is scheduled for 2:30pm; any home support would be very welcome.
St Ives: Ben Taylor, Rob Elloway, Leigh Hocking, Tom Chandler, Jamie Prisk, Jamie Hoskin, Chris Quick, Harry Parton, Sam Carter, Paul Thirlby, Liam Jolly, Rhys Brownfield, Peter Mabbott, Josh Palmer, Grant Thirlby.
Replacements: Ben Jenkins (Used)
