Rugby: Cully back to winning ways (From Mid Devon Star)

Rugby: Cully back to winning ways

4:50pm Thursday 28th January 2010

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Cullompton secured their first South-West-One West victory since the end of October as they defeated highflying Brixham 18-11 at Stafford Park on Saturday.

The victory was all the more satisfying for Cully, without a game since December 12, as they suffered a heavy defeat at Brixham earlier in the season.

The hosts went ahead with barely a minute on the clock when, after several phases, left winger Lee Powell ran through on the overlap to score in the corner.

The other winger, Lee Stanley, narrowly missed the conversion.

The Fishermen, who started the day second in the table, responded but were kept at bay by excellent Cully defence.

Scoring opportunities were limited to missed penalties for both sides until inside centre Paul Baker crashed through the Brixham line and made 40 metres before slipping the ball to full back Marcus Busch to score. Stanley's conversion made it 12-0 and Cullompton survived some pressure late in the half to maintain their lead.

After the interval Cullompton struggled to keep up their attacking tempo.

Prop John Snell was sin binned for tacking from an off-side position and Brixham fly-half Ben Lovell reduced the deficit with the penalty.

However, Cullompton managed to restore their lead with a Stanley penalty before Snell returned but another Lovell kick made it 15-6.

A sliced clearance kick then gave Brixham a line-out five metres out and the resulting maul saw hooker Mike Beeson touch down. The extras were missed.

Cullompton held their nerve in the final ten minutes and, after Brixham's flanker was sent to the bin, Stanley kicked another penalty and the hosts held on.

Cullompton are away to Chosen Hill Former Pupils on Saturday.

TIVERTON slipped to their 11th defeat in Western Counties West on Saturday, going down 16-6 at Penryn.

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