Dartmouth desperately needed to win this game, not just because it was a local derby, but because they need to start collecting some points.
In previous years, Dartmouth have lost games like this one and learned from it.
It's going to be a test of character for Dartmouth and, hopefully, they will come out of whatever is stopping this usually tight-knit team from winning.
Dartmouth's scrum, which usually push opposition teams around the park, didn't seem to be fire-erring on all cylinders and it will be a tough training session this Thursday to get Dartmouth back to some sort of normality to take on New Cross in the Devon Junior Cup this coming Saturday.
The first 10 minutes of the game was fairly even and Dartmouth had a penalty in the first four minutes and decided to go for touch instead of the three points on offer.
A good defence from Salcombe stopped Dartmouth penetrating their five metre line but two minutes later Dartmouth were awarded another penalty.
This time, skipper Reg Varney asking Richard Lobb to do the honours, but unfortunately Lobb went wide. Salcombe hit straight back, taking their 22 drop out to the half way line.
Salcombe winning the line out, passed the ball well to Chris Drew who went over to the far right.
Drew missed the conversion leaving the score at five-nil to Salcombe with only 12 minutes gone.
Dartmouth hit back and put Salcombe under pressure for the next 20 minutes but they just couldn't penetrate Salcombe's stubborn defence.
Steve Atkins had to make an enforced substitution when Luke Bridgwood's wrist injury brought an early end to his game.
On came Dec Hammond who went in the second row, Adam Sharam moving out to the right wing.
That saw out the first half and Reg Varney had to regroup his men and tell them that they were still in this game.
With the start of the second half it was still a very close game.
But Salcombe scored ten minutes after the restart and then five minutes later they were at it again.
Dartmouth kept at it but couldn't seem to get the last five metres.
Luke Chase came close with a chip and go. Chase chiped over the Salcombe defence but referee Mr Skeets decided a Salcombe hand got to the ball first.
John Dingle went close, Will Lockerbie went close – and Damon Pye, but Dart-mouth just kept coming short at the vital moment.
Skipper Reg Varney summed the game up by saying: 'We could have played for forty minutes, we still wouldn't have scored'.
It was a game of missed chances.
Dartmouth would like to thank Tony Sharam for sponsoring the match. Tony, a local builder has been a stalwart in sponsoring the club for many years.
He used to play for Dartmouth and also played for England, in his youth.
Thanks also to the large crowd that turned up and donated their hard-earned cash that Barry French went around and collected.
As reported at the start, Dartmouth visit New Cross this Saturday in the Devon Junior Cup.
But it seems Dartmouth would do better to concentrate on the league more than the Junior Cup.