Ivybridge 16, Barnstaple 68

IVYBRIDGE’S hopes of a third straight win on the way up the South West One table were dashed by a hefty 68-16 home defeat at the hands of Barnstaple.

Barnstaple, who started the day in third place, shot into a 14-3 lead in the first 12 minutes courtesy of back-to-back tries from Tyler Gordon-Oke. He also kicked the goals.

By half time Barum were 28-9 ahead and with four tries scored already had the bonus point in the bag.

Sam Roberts scored Barnstaple’s third try and the fourth went to No.8 Brandon Moore, who was later subbed-off suffering from suspected concussion.

All Ivybridge could manage in the first half were three Matt Grieveson penalties.

Ivybridge did get a converted try back after the interval, Matt Skeemer claiming the credit, but Barum responded almost immediately with a five pointer from Ross Swales.

The scoreline mounted as Cameron Johnson, Dan Robinson, Johnny Carter and Matt Gohl, with two tries in four minutes, turned the screw on Ivybridge.

Gohl’s first try was a 60-metre solo effort run in from his own half of the field – quite a distance for any blind-side wing-forward to run. Gordon-Oke converted five out of six tries in the second half.

On a miserable day all-round for Ivybridge they lost prop Marcus Prout to a suspected broken leg.

Davy McGregor, the Ivybridge coach, said the injury to Prout probably had an impact on the outcome.

“We did put some really good rugby together, but momentum changed with one of our lads breaking his leg,” said McGregor.

“We also had two concussions and two sprains of ankles and so your whole team changes.

“They were 28-16 up when the injury happened and I just think that maybe got to us a little bit as a squad. It is never nice seeing one of your team-mates getting carried off.

“But to be fair, Barnstaple played a better standard of rugby than we were probably expecting.

“They played with a lot of width and they looked like a team with the ambition that they want to go up.”

The Bridge have dropped back to third from bottom in the standings as Matson moved past them on points difference thanks to a 38-12 win over Weston. The Bridge make the short trip to Brixham this Saturday.