COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST

Bude 14 Bideford 15

BUDE’S survival hopes took a blow on Saturday as bottom side Bideford earned a deserved victory in front of a huge crowd at Bencoolen Meadow.

Both sides went into the game desperate for the points to ensure they spend another season at Level Seven, but it was the Devonians that headed back up the A39 right back in the mix.

For the Seasiders, although they picked up a losing bonus point, it was a disappointing afternoon where they never really got started.

Bude had for large parts of the game been the better side at high-flying Plymstock Albion Oaks a week earlier where they earned a try bonus point in a 41-28 reversal, and although they earned another for losing within seven, it was far less than they expected.

From the side beaten on the outskirts of Plymouth, there were two changes to the starting 15 as flanker Matt Maniglia and winger Ollie Rowland came in for Harvey Cholwill and Jack Horwell.

Will Pharo also returned after injury in place of Ryan Butler on the bench.

With it also being Harpers (Feeds) Day at the club, a large crowd descended looking to see if Bude can make it a double after their convincing win at King George V Playing Field back in October.

However the opening 20 minutes were an attritional affair with neither side really looking like scoring, although with Bude having to defend against the wind and slope, they would have been the happier.

But soon after the Chiefs did go in front as after several phases, inside-centre Louis Atkinson exploited a gap to dot down. Full-back Matt Lewis added the extras for a 7-0 lead.

Bude finally got into the Bideford 22 for the first time after the half-hour mark and it wasn’t long before flanker Dean Folland was sin-binned on 34 minutes.

The pressure was now on and the Chiefs wilted again from a scrum close to the line with a penalty try awarded and another yellow was handed out.

The second half started in a similar vain to the majority of the first with the opening ten minutes being played in the middle of the field.

But on 50 minutes home scrum-half Charlie Watton was sent for a ten-minute rest, and after the penalty was kicked to the corner, a driving maul was finished off. The conversion was missed but Bideford were 12-7 up with half an hour to go.

Bude didn’t immediately respond but eventually upped the ante, racking up the phases.

But the Chiefs defence was in no mood to give in until the home pack earned themselves a try with ten to play.

From a Bideford scrum ten metres from their own line, Bude’s pack shoved them off the ball and number eight Ben Hancock picked up to crash over from close range. Fly-half Brad Thomas added the extras for 14-12.

But Bideford responded and after applying plenty of pressure, were handed a penalty a couple of minutes from the end. Lewis stepped up to knock over the simplest of kicks and send the travelling support wild.

Bude failed to threaten the visitors’ line again as Bideford left with four vital points and to move within six points of third bottom St Ives.

The Seasiders face a tough task at Redruth Seconds on Saturday (2pm).

BUDE: Alfie Hurwood, Olly Denford, Ben Tharme, Joe Wilson, Ollie Rowland, Brad Thomas, Charlie Watton; Hayden Chater, Rory Mead, Chris Allin, Will Hockridge (capt), Fred Saxton, Finley Fry, Matt Maniglia, Ben Hancock. Replacements: Fraser Martyn, Harvey Cholwill, Will Pharo.

Tries: penalty try, Hancock; Convs: Thomas; Pens: N/A.