Saturday, April 6

Tribute Cornwall and Devon League

South Molton 34

Bude 12

BUDE’s promotion hopes are over for another season after losing 34-12 at South Molton in a controversial encounter at Unicorn Park.

The visitors were on top in the opening stages and took a 5-0 lead through Charlie Watton before number eight Angus Hodges was sent-off for a dangerous tackle.

The North Devon club led 10-5 at half-time before scoring four further tries to inflict just a third away defeat of the season on Bude, who at least got the last word when Arron Gilroy showed his excellent finishing abilities from 20 metres.

Bude had to hope that Penryn or Honiton would lose either of their final games to go up but travelled without the likes of Rory Hodges and Matt Williams, although they were able to recall Ryan Butler at outside-centre and Timmy Green on the wing.

However they started much the better and were it not for some poor decision making close to the line would have surely scored. The fact it remained at 0-0 was that home fly-half Callum Stone missed two penalties.

Bude were looking dangerous in attack and took the lead inside 15 minutes. Skipper Olly Denford tapped and went from a penalty from the 22 and was held up just short. The ball was worked out left for Watton to sell a dummy and dot down. The kick was missed.

Molton gave Bude a tough test at Bencoolen Meadow at the end of last year and the promoted hosts have enjoyed some brilliant results this term following promotion.

And their cause was given a massive helping hand midway through the half.

Outside-centre Dillon Tuck was running down the wing and looked to cut inside where he was met by Hodges and scrum-half Olly Mounce and put to the floor.

However, Docherty had adjudged that Tuck’s legs were lifted above his head and dropped unsafely.

South Molton like to use their big forwards as much as possible and they got on the scoreboard through a Stone penalty.

Bude were then reduced to 13 men for five minutes either side of the break as although Watton came in at the side, he did so to help a team-mate needing help, and although he gave his reasonings was sent for an early half-time break.

And just before the interval Bude fell behind as lock David Kist, which was converted.

Playing up the hill against a team with a strong home record and with a man down was always going to be a tough task for the Cornishmen and so it proved.

South Molton added four second-half tries through replacement Dan Smith, full-back James Tapp (2) and winger Richard Morgan.

Bude understandably tired and failed to produce much besides a brilliant consolation try through Gilroy, and even had another yellow-card for Luke Dunkin back-chatting to the referee.

The replacement winger ran a hard line off the touchline before showing excellent balance after being half tackled to remain on his feet and just to the whitewash before he was tackled.

Player/coach Angus Hodges believes his red card wasn’t the correct decision, which will rule him out of the season-ending game with Tavistock on Saturday, any Cornwall call-ups and potentially the start of next season.

He said: “It was thoroughly disappointing. We didn’t feel like we were outplayed at all with the odds stacked against us, and playing with one or two men down for an hour made it extremely challenging.

“They evidently are a good side at home and we had to try and knock them off that, but it was a shame that we had to lose in such a manner.

“The sending-off was the turning point. The referee struggled to keep a grip on the game at that point. South Molton favour a scrappy and upfront game and with the team we had, we favoured a nice structured style where we can play to our gameplan, but because of the red card it was ruined.”

Hodges was pleased with aspects of the performance to begin with and was full of praise for Butler.

He said: “We started the game in alright form like we have on many occasions in the second half of the season. We were playing some decent rugby and made some good breaks, but couldn’t quite finish it off. We got to within a few metres of their try line but we were done for holding on or were turned over.

“But I wasn’t that nervous as we got the try, but then the red came and it turned the game.

“However I was pleased with the way they kept going. Ryan Butler played really well starting at 13. He carried really hard, led by example and had a good intensity about him which was nice to see.”

With Penryn and Honiton both recording yet another easy win to confirm their promotions, Bude are now guaranteed to sit third with fourth-placed Plymstock Albion Oaks nine points back.

But Hodges wants to see his side respond when they entertain Tavistock at Bencoolen Meadow in their final fixture of the campaign on Saturday (3pm).

He said: “We just want to finish the season on a high. We’ve put in plenty of good performances this year, so we don’t have anything to prove, but it’d be really nice to finish the season on a high and carry the momentum into next season!”

Bude —

Denford, Green, Butler, Watton, Horwell, Pharo, Mounce; Bolt, Mead, Jeffery, Troke, Kingdon, T Fry, F Fry, A Hodges

Replacements: Cholwill, Dunkin, Gilroy

Tries: Watton, Gilroy

Convs: Denford

Pens: N/A

Bude’s man-of-the-match: Ryan Butler