As the final score of Sidmouth 24 Teignmouth 25 suggests, this was a tense encounter in which the lead changed six times and was finally decided by a converted try deep into injury time.
After the opening 25 minutes, the Chiefs and their supporters were bemused as to how they were three points down having dominated possession and territory for the first quarter.
Tom Hodge, George Locke and Rory O’Brien each came within inches of the line but were denied by determined defence. So, the penalty kicked by the Teignmouth fly half separated the teams.
Five minutes later, the Chiefs eventually took the lead their efforts deserved when the forwards drove over a lineout maul for Jed Reid to get the touchdown.
Teignmouth finished the half on the attack, as both sides had players yellow carded, but the Chiefs maintained their narrow lead into the break.
Two minutes into the second half, Tom Hodge made a break to send Rory O’Brien in for an unconverted try. This sparked the visitors into life and they reduced the arrears when a diagonal kick by the fly half found the right winger in space to touch down in the corner.
Midway through the half, Teignmouth took the lead when the left winger evaded two players on his way to the line. Five minutes later, the Chiefs were back in front when Tom Hodge exploited a gap after a series of rucks had stretched the defence. Dan Retter added the conversion.
Teignmouth went one point ahead when the forwards drove over from a lineout-catch-and-drive play.
The Chiefs regained possession from the restart kick to send Rory O’Brien on a run deep into the 22. The Chiefs maintained pressure near the line until Dan Armstrong powered his way over. Retter’s conversion opened up a six-point lead with five minutes to play.
A penalty in injury time enabled the visitors to kick deep into the Sidmouth 22 for a lineout, from which they set up a driving maul. The maul crabbed infield until the scrum half spotted a gap to score near the posts. The conversion was the decisive score.
On Saturday, the Chiefs entertain Bridgwater & Albion, kicking off at 2.30pm. The Quins play Tiverton 2nds at Sidford, kicking off at 2.30pm.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here