TAVISTOCK RFC 1st XV should be safe from automatic relegation from Devon One despite a 40-22 home defeat by South Molton.

With one game left to play – Devonport Services Pilgrims this Saturday – Tavistock are eight points clear of the bottom two.

With just five points left to play for, second-bottom Ivybridge Vandals cannot overhaul the Moorlanders now.

Leith Puttock, the Tavistock coach, felt with a bit more cohesion the game against South Molton could have been closer.

“We played well but just could not finish things off,” said Puttock. “South Molton only pulled away in the last quarter.”

Oscar Slater, Jay Popplewell and Andrew Shutkacker were Tavistock’s try scorers. Solly Hunter kicked two conversions and a penalty.

Elsewhere, the aforementioned Ivybridge Vandals rediscovered their winning touch with a breathless 52-51 win at Withycombe.

Back-to-back defeats by Honiton and Old Plymothians appear to have consigned second-bottom Ivybridge to relegation. If two teams are relegated from Devon One, and it is not an exact science, they will be one of them.

Whatever the future holds for Ivybridge after this Saturday’s closing game against Topsham 2nd XV, winning such a close game was a boost for the troops.

Head coach Steve, who accompanied the side to Raleigh Park in the absence of a first-team game, said it was fast-and-furious stuff from first whistle to last.

“Both sides ran with the ball and tried to score as many points as they could,” said Atkinson.

“It could have gone either way but I think our fitness was slightly better than theirs. With about 10 minutes to go I did think we might nick it.”

Ivybridge try scorers were Ben Winters, Aaron Joynt, Adam Lilley, Ed Lewis, Sid Bear and James Cantin. Matt Grieveson knocked over all seven conversions and a penalty.

Photography by Chris Hair.