Tribute Western Counties West

Kingsbridge 78,

Paignton Saints 7

Kingsbridge finally returned to WCW league action on Saturday following their enforced five-week weather lay-off, but the Blue and Whites looked far from rusty as they totally overpowered bottom-placed Paignton at High House.

This was the highest score recorded by any team in this season's league campaign and gives the Blue and Whites a huge boost in the 'points for' column.

The home team recorded eleven tries in all and had wrapped up the all-important bonus point after only 22 minutes.

Kingsbridge started very strongly from the kick-off and forced play deep into the Paignton 22 with a series of powerful rolling mauls.

When Paignton stopped one of these mauls illegally, Kingsbridge centre Ashley Treeby slotted the resulting penalty.

Within two minutes that lead had moved into double figures as a turnover in midfield saw a strong break along the top touchline from home captain Ben Glover, who drew the final Paignton defender before putting winger James Trout away to score from the 22. Treeby converted for a 10-0 lead.

On 12 minutes excellent build-up work from winger Matt Gibbens and hooker James Westlake saw play taken close to the Paignton line and number eight Jack Cope dummied his way over to score near the posts.

Treeby's conversion took the score to 17-0.

Five minutes later and Kings crossed over for their third try as lock Sean Woodland crossed over wide out following great team support play to make it 22-0.

Woodland then crossed over almost immediately afterwards for his second and the bonus-point try as he skipped clear from the Paignton 22 and Treeby converted for the third time to make it 29-0.

There was still time for another try during the first half as Kings were awarded a penalty near the Paignton try line and elected for the scrum.

This saw the powerful home forwards take the Paignton pack back over their own line with number eight Cope getting his second touchdown of the half. Treeby converted again for a 36-0 half-time lead.

Paignton opened the scoring in the second half as a wayward pass in the Kingsbridge back line was intercepted and the visitors ran in from half way for a converted try to reduce the score to 36-7.

However that was as close as Paignton were to get as Kingsbridge came back straight from the restart and a rolling maul in the visitors' 22 saw flanker Matt Hamilton cross over for the home sides sixth try.

Treeby's conversion made the score 43-7.

Try number seven saw fly-half Ben Newman put clear on the blindside and he double dummied his way along the bottom touchline to score wide out. Treeby's conversion brought up the 50 points for the hosts.

Try number eight saw full-back George Banfield take a superb angle of attack deep into the Paignton 22 before giving the scoring pass out to winger James Trout who crossed over for his second try of the game. Treeby again converted well for a lead of 57-7.

A quick tap penalty move brought try number nine for captain Glover and the conversion took Kingsbridge to 64-7.

Two further tries in the final few minutes of the game saw Kingsbridge cruise to a crushing victory that puts them back on schedule for vital fixtures coming over the next few weeks.

Hamilton crashed over off the back of a ruck for the tenth try and Treeby rounded off a great personal game with the 11th and final score of the match.

Treeby's successful conversion of those final two tries gave him a 25-point personal haul for the match. 

Squad – Banfield, Trout, Glover (captain), Treeby, Gibbens, Newman, Couch, James, Westlake, Powell, Woodland, D Barlow, A Hamilton, M Hamilton, Cope, Hurst, Elliott, M Barlow.

Pizza Planet man-of-the-match – Dan Barlow

Kingsbridge A XV travelled to face Bideford II's in the Devon Merit Table on Saturday where they slipped to a heavy 45-5 loss with their only score coming from Rob Wotton.

Kingsbridge still hold third place in the table behind Exmouth IIIs and Okehampton IIs