TAVISTOCK RFC’s worries down in the Devon One basement deepened following a 39-10 home defeat by Honiton.

That’s three defeats in a row for the Moorlanders – and eight in the last 10 starts – as the threat of relegation worsens.

Although Tavistock are only three points shy of safety, they have played at least two more games than the three teams immediately above them.

Honiton reached half time at Sandy Park in the driving seat and sitting on a 22-0 lead.

Jonny House put the first points on the board with a penalty, then converted a Reece Phillips. A second Phillips try and one for Ben Kidson plus the conversion, concluded the first-half scoring.

Phillips completed a try hat-trick with the opening score after the interval, House converted for a 29-0 lead.

Kitson and Finn Lowman added a try each as Honiton reach 39-0.

Tavistock finally got on the scoresheet with a hard-earned push over try. A second try followed while Honiton were a man short due to a sin-binning.

Vaughan Glover and Jack Easton scored tries for Tavistock.

Elsewhere in the county, scrum-half James Cantin darted across for four tries in the 44-26 win over Penzance-Newlyn that lifted Ivybridge into the South West Two play-off places.

The Pirates chipped away at a 29-19 half-time deficit to get back to 29-26 behind with 15 minutes to go.

Two tries from Cantin – he already had a couple by then – put fresh wind into Ivybridge sails and they went on to close out a memorable win.

Also, Newton Abbot went back-and-forth with Kingsbridge at Rackerhayes with the visitors eventually prevailing.

The All Whites fired into a 12-0 lead only to trail by five points at the break. They responded once more in the second-half but came up short, losing 32-29 to the Kings.