Services victorious in top of the table encounter

CHEW VALLEY KNOCKED OFF TOP SPOT IN A CRACKER AT THE REC

- CONRAED SUTCLIFFE

DEVONPORT SERVICES 27 CHEW VALLEY 17

DEVONPORT Services went back to the top of South West Division one following a 27-17 win over Chew Valley that deposed the Somerset side as table toppers.

Services trailed briefly in the first half to a Tom Bryan penalty before shooting into a 17-3 lead.

Chew have not been on and off the top of the table all season without good reason – and showed their battling qualities to get back it back to all-square on 17-all.

Services had to start all over again and it wasn’t until the 71st minute that they got two scores ahead again and were able to feel comfortable.

Kieran Leach, Services’ team manager, said: “As you would expect from two teams at the top of the table, they went at each other hammer and tongs.

“There were not many chances in the game, but we took enough of ours to win it.

“Chew have got some big units in their side and we had to work hard on our first-time tackling to stop them.”

Bryan’s penalty on three minutes was the only time Chew led from start to finish. The Chew Valley fullback, a prolific kicker, went off injured midway through the first half, which probably did Services a favour.

Liam Jarvis went over on seven minutes to put Services ahead, followed by an opportunist try from speedy wingman Harrison Connick. Instead of kicking for position from a scrum in their own 22, the ball went through hands to Coonick, who raced 70-plus metres for a score.

Richard Goldsby-West added the conversion for a 12-3 lead at halftime.