Dartmouth 15,
Brixham RFC II 7
A Brixham II XV travelled the short distance across hillhead for this week’s game against Dartmouth.
The Darts had found a fertile recruitment drive from across the water this year and several former Fishermen were in their side, so this fixture was keenly anticipated, with both teams aiming to prove a point.
Unlike last week the weather held fair, with a dry game in prospect, but there was a strong wind blowing towards the Stoke Fleming end.
Dartmouth elected to play with the wind in the first half and were soon rewarded with a penalty attempt in the first five minutes.
With their regular kicker out injured, hooker Nick Shillabeer had a go at the posts, but was wide of the mark.
The Darts kept pressing though, with Brixham unable to gain any worthwhile possession or ground and on the 10-minute mark, after a subtle chip through, Dartmouth’s centre Gary Rooney scooped the ball off the floor and carried it five metres over the line to score a try.
The conversion was not scored, but the home team led 5-0.
Both teams now settled into an attritional game, with the Dartmouth pack by far the stronger in the set piece, but the younger Brixham team opting to move the ball quickly and run at the Darts at every opportunity.
It was while dealing with one of these attacks that Dartmouth winger Josh Bruckner took a bang to the head, an injury that resulted in his replacement by Dan Jones, who was making his first appearance for Dartmouth this season.
Towards the end of the half the stalemate was broken twice by Dartmouth, firstly with a penalty from Dave Champion to make it 8-0.
Soon after the Dartmouth pack finally made their dominance felt with a penalty try from a line-out and drive on the Brixham line. Champion easily converted, so the Darts ended the half 15 points to the good.
Shortly after the half time break, second row forward Ryan Burrows came on, fresh legs, that enabled Dartmouth to rejig their pack.
But the bane of Dartmouth’s recent games then occurred, Brixham scoring within five minutes of the turn around, moving the ball through the hands to score out wide, with the well-taken conversion sailing through the uprights.
The Brixham team now had the bit between their teeth and kept the Dartmouth team under constant pressure, but a combination of great defence and missed passes kept the Dartmouth line intact throughout the second half.
After 70 minutes the scrums had to go uncontested because of an injury to a Brixham front-row player, an outcome that negated the last Dartmouth strength, but the Darts are made of stern stuff and ran themselves into the ground to keep the score in their favour and win the game 15-7.
Although the game was not high scoring, it was entertaining, with both sides adding to the mix and making for an enjoyable afternoon of rugby.
The Darts man-of-the-match award went to Luke Chase.
Dartmouth are at home to a Paignton II XV on Saturday, the last game before the League campaign starts.
Kick off 3pm at Norton Park.