Exmouth 38 - 31 Home

Exmouth claimed a sixth successive victory in League and Cup with a 38 – 31 home success over Reading.

It was certainly one of those classic games of two halves from the Cockles, who were superb before the break but sadly well off the pace in the second period.  However, such was their power play in those first 40 minutes that they can probably be excused a clear stepping down in gears after the break.

It was the visitors who struck first with a converted try leaving them ahead halfway through the first half.

It was the trusty boot of Rich Cadywould that got the Cockles back into the contest, first tucking away a penalty and then adding the extras after fleet-footed winger Andrew Powell had crossed over in the corner for a blind side try.

This was the start of a period of near total dominance from the Cockles. Excellent creativity from Jack Downie opened things sufficiently for Dave Ewere to crash over, Cadywould duly obliged with the conversion and the Cockles were in the clear on the board.

It got better just before the break when Exmouth won a scrum in the visitors Ewers reacted fastest to go over for his second try of the afternoon and there was still time for a further try as Murray Daniel went over and Cadywould converted both tries to see Exmouth into the break with a 31 – 7 lead.

Shortly after the re-start, Downie was dismissed to the sin bin, and whilst he was there, Reading seized upon some indecision in the home defence that saw them score and convert a try.

Tony Emmins and Jack Westlake then both succumbed to injury with Andrew Smith and Dale Sleeman tasked with filling the big gaps left in the back row.

Sleeman marked his tactical switch with Exmouth’s fifth try of the afternoon and, once again, Cadywould obliged with the conversion t3, the home faithful supporters were counting down the clock to celebrate a big win.

However, Reading had other ideas and reduced the deficit scoring a quick fire brace of tries inside the last ten minutes and, when they also tucked away an even later penalty, it left the scoreline looking a lot closer that it had been ten minutes from time!