aTribute South West One West Ivybridge 38, Drybrook 7

Ivybridge face their biggest test of life in a higher league tomorrow when they welcome fellow league high-flyers Wells to Cross-in-Hand writes Tim Leigh. Ivybridge are sitting pretty at the top of the table having played three, won three and secured three try bonus points, whereas second-placed Wells have also won all their games but only gained one bonus point. Ivybridge senior coach Neil Thomson hailed his side's fantastic start to the season, but was well aware of the test Wells and their monster pack would pose. He said: 'There were lots of positive signs in pre-season, we had good warm-up matches and had 35-40 people turning up for training sessions. Everyone involved with the club is enjoying themselves at the moment, we're on the up again. 'It's a huge game on Saturday, Wells have a massive pack, as people saw against Bideford, so for us it's about matching them and getting enough ball to our backs.' In terms of personnel, there are a few bumps and bruises, but nothing new in the way of injuries for Ivybridge to worry about. Thomson said: 'We will be missing Dom Loomes on Saturday, he's on holiday, and captain Mike Cox is still out with a sprained ankle picked up in pre-season, but that's it.' Wells showed what they were capable of when they narrowly defeated previously unbeaten Bideford 22-16 last time out, but Ivybridge themselves put in quite a performance, particularly in the second half, as they racked up 38 points against Gloucester visitors Drybrook. The first 10 minutes of the match last weekend saw both sides feeling each other out, with the first notable incident occurring 10 minutes in when Drybrook flanker Jose Kabila saw yellow. Five minutes later Ivybridge earned a penalty when the visitors killed the ball under pressure, and fly-half Matt Grieveson stepped up to slot the kick for a 3-0 lead. Drybrook survived being a man down without conceding further, and two minutes after going back to full strength, a charge-down saw their winger Harry Goodenham run in a try, converted by Alun Richards, to give them the lead 3-7. This was as good as it got for the visitors, as on the half-hour mark a five-metre scrum saw the dominant Ivybridge pack push the Gloucestershire side off the ball for number eight Justin Rogers to pick up and score. With Grieveson once again adding the extras, Ivy were 10-7 up, which is how the score remained until half-time. The home side came out firing for the second half, with just two minutes having been played when centre Lewis Paterson showed good strength to make ground and release winger Max Snowden, who jinked in to score. The extra two points from the faultless boot of Grieveson put Ivy into a 17-7 lead as they began to take control of the contest. On 50 minutes Ivy went further ahead when quick hands from both forwards and backs culminated in a gallop to the line from second row Dom Loomes, Grieveson converting for 24-7. Ivybridge were by now totally dominant, and extended their lead minutes later when Paterson released full-back Tom Scoles, who hared in. Grieveson's superb day continued as he made the score 31-7 and Ivybridge had the try bonus point in the bag. With the game over as a contest, Ivy had to wait until the 76th minute for their next points, more good handling allowing Snowden to grab his second. Grieveson nailed his sixth successful kick of the day to make the final score 38-7 to Ivies and complete a brilliant day's work for him personally and the team as a whole.