By Paul Cottle at Bencoolen Meadow

COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST (SATURDAY)

Bude 27 Tavistock 26

BUDE claimed a vital bonus point victory over fellow strugglers Tavistock at Bencoolen Meadow last Saturday by the barest of margins.

Indeed with the visitors' replacement Liam Watts grabbing his side's fourth try of the afternoon in stoppage time at the end of the game, if the difficult conversion attempt from scrum-half Freddie Fuller had been successful, the Seasiders would have been sunk after having led 24-7 with 15 minutes remaining.

And with lowly Penryn being heavily defeated at Redruth Seconds and basement club Bideford unable to raise a side for their game at Pirates Amateurs which earned them a five-point deduction, Bude are now … points clear of the bottom two.

With ground and weather conditions again both good, the hosts were ahead within six minutes. From a penalty award near the visitors' 22, skipper Will Hockridge and Fred Saxton made good ground before inside-centre and player-coach Joe Wilson took the ball at pace and charged over for the opening score. Fly-half Brad Thomas converted for a 7-0 lead.

Tavy responded, helped by Bude conceding a string of penalties, and on 21 minutes following a scrum 10 metres out, number eight Andrew Schuttkacker picked up and drove over from close range. Fuller added the extras to level.

Tavistock were beginning to win the scrum battle, but in the 26th minute they somehow managed to lose the ball at a set scrum in their own 22 and in a flash scrum-half Alfie Hurwood combined with Thomas to put Wilson through for a second try. Thomas made it 14-7.

Hurwood was soon sent to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, but the Seasiders went further ahead on 33 minutes. After a penalty award, the ball was kicked to touch and from the resulting line-out, a well-worked ‘catch and drive’ move saw number eight Ben Hancock touch down. Thomas’ kick was off target (19-7).

That was the scoreline at the break, but in the 47th minute Tavistock were given a lifeline as flanker Finley Fry was sent to the bin for deliberately collapsing a maul deep in the hosts' 22 as the visitors drove for the line.

However, again Bude managed their numerical deficit well, keeping Tavy out.

Then, restored to full compliment, on 61 minutes they stretched their lead to 17 points as hooker Rory Mead took a tapped penalty and from the resulting ruck the ball was worked left along the line for Saxton to crash over. Thomas missed the conversion attempt from out wide.

However, the visitors had other ideas and from a line out following a penalty award that was kicked to touch, a “catch and drive” move saw hooker Hammy Kerswill ground for his side's second try. Fuller converted expertly from the wide angle and Tavistock were now only 10 points adrift.

With a little over 10 minutes remaining Thomas stretched Bude's lead to 13 points as he slotted the simplest of penalty kicks after the visitors were penalised for a deliberate knock-on.

That score was to prove crucial with Schuttkacker scoring his second in the 73rd minute, and Fuller again adding the extras.

Bude's lead was now down to six points and despite Watts's last minute try, Fuller's miss proved costly.

BUDE: Will Pharo; Olly Denford, Ben Tharme, Joe Wilson, Ollie Rowland; Brad Thomas, Alfie Hurwood; Hayden Chater, Rory Mead, Chris Allin; Will Hockridge (capt), Fred Saxton; Finley Fry, Matt Maniglia, Ben Hancock. Replacements: Harvey Cholwill, Ryan Butler, Olly Mounce.

Tries: Wilson (2), Hancock, Saxton; Convs: Thomas (2); Pens: Thomas.

Bude man of the match: Chris Allin.