Kelly College 1st XV 12

West Buckland School 1st XV 8

THIS was the fourth fixture this season in which the match was decided by the final move of the game. On this occasion, Kelly scored in the fifth minute of injury time, against the run of play, to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Sam Morton had scored a powerful try midway through the first half that had been converted by Mike Yeomans and the score remained 7-0 until the early minutes of the second half.

West Buckland kicked a penalty and then took control of the match.

Their forwards dominated set plays, but the back row defended magnificently and it was not until Kelly had been reduced to fourteen players that the visitors eventually scored an unconverted try with just a minute to go.

Kelly responded strongly and earned a penalty twenty-five metres out and just to the left of the posts. Nerves got the better of Mike Yeomans and he pushed the kick wide.

The game was lost, or so it seemed. Nevertheless, following a line out deep in Kelly College?s twenty-two a kick downfield bounced awkwardly for their full-back and the following up Kelly College players tackled and chased well. They stole the ball inches from the West Buckland line and touched it down. The conversion went wide and the final whistle blew.

Kelly College now prepare for their local derby matches against Plymouth College on Saturday and then Tavistock College on Wednesday.

Although their commitment and resilience will need to be maintained, their skill level must be raised if they are to get good results from either of these highly competitive fixtures.