Herald Express (Torbay, Brixham & South Hams Edition)
Dartmouth see off Tamar challenge in round one
DARTMOUTH cleared the first hurdle in the Papa Johns’ Championship Cup by beating Tamar Saracens 17-13 in round one.
The Riversiders had already defeated Saracens twice during their unbeaten promotion season in Devon Two South & West, but both wins were by narrow margins.
Another close encounter was anticipated – and so it turned out with Dartmouth coming from behind in the second half to win the match.
Coming up next for Dartmouth in the second round are Hampshire side Fareham Heathens, who will make the three-and-half-hour trip from Portsmouth to Norton Field this Saturday (2.30pm).
Dartmouth went 3-0 up against Saracens in the 14th minute when Sam Churchill knocked over a penalty. Sarries replied with a chipchase try for Reece Boase to go 5-3 up. A Paul Hull penalty increased the lead to 8-3.
With Dartmouth a man short for 10 mintes after winger Jack Gordon was yellow-carded, Sarries went further ahead with a Fraser Tatchell try in the corner.
Churchill pulled three points back from the tee just before the break.
Dartmouth, 13-6 down at half time, were revived during the break by appropriate words of advice from the coaching team.
Pressure built over time and led to a try in the corner for full-back Richard Lobb after Dartmouth nicked Saracens’ ball at a scrum.
Ten minutes from time, when Saracens were down to 14 men following a carding, a Churchill penalty put Dartmouth 14-13 up. Another Churchill penalty stretched Dartmouth’s lead to four points.
Saracens did put pressure on Dartmouth in the dying moments, but could not find a way through.
Totnes edged dipped out 29-36 to visiting Lankelly-Fowey in the Papa Johns South Plate.
Paignton will make a belated entrance into the Papa Johns Counties Plate this Saturday when they travel to Frome.
The Cherries were handed a bye in the first round of the competition. Frome had to beat Clevedon 21-17 to reach the second round.
Last Saturday’s rugby action at Queen’s Park was a 59-7 win for the second XV over Topsham 3rd XV.
Try scorers were Russ Cramer (two), Sam Bastock (two), Olly Williams, Oli Woodcock (two), Jack Sinar and debutant Oli Knox. Tony Hodgetts kicked the goals.
The game was the last one on the touchline for Paignton ‘lifer’ Steve Clemens, who has had a 40-yearplus association with the club as a junior, colt, 1st XV player, secondteam captain, colts’ coach and finally second-team coach.