TAVISTOCK RFC went down to a 62-8 defeat away at Honiton RFC in a game they will want to forget in a hurry, on Saturday, October 18.

It was touch and go whether the Moorlanders could get a side on the road to Allhallows due to selection problems.

“We were 17 players short so by playing the fixture, we saved a five-point deduction, which is a positive for me,” said Leigh Puttock, the Tavistock coach.

“The game was then shortened because one of our players broke a leg, which puts all things into perspective.”

Samuel Ridsdill was the Tavistock player who sustained a broken leg. He was making his 1st XV debut off the bench. He underwent an operation on the break at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth on Sunday.

“It was a freak accident in a tackle. His foot stayed in the ground as he went over.”

As the game was clearly won and lost when Ridsdill suffered his injury, the game was abandoned with 15 minutes to go.

Tavistock’s try scorer was flanker Tylo Coupland. Freddie Fuller kicked the conversion.

Honiton’s try scorers were Ben Kidson (2), Dean Norman (2), Will Tyers, Tom Irish, Johnny House and Rhys Phillips. House landed four conversions.

Tavistock RFC have no game at 1st XV level this Saturday- their next league outing according to the England RFU website will take place on Saturday, November 8, as they host Old Plymothian & Mannamedian.

The pair are currently tied on 12 points apiece, Old Plymothian & Mannamedian in eighth trailing seventh-placed Tavistock due to points difference.

Elsewhere on the weekend, OPM were handed a home walkover against Dartmouth whilst Bideford and Devonport Services II both won on their travels and both scored 43 points, overcoming Crediton II and Ivybridge II respectively.

Exeter Saracens and Topsham II were also victorious.