Sat 15 Feb 2025
The Blacks faced Sidmouth at packed Polson Bridge (courtesy of the day being Farmers' Day) where the CABs suffered another defeat of 19 - 41 despite playing a good first half.
The first home game in nearly a month and with a few players back from injury, the CABs hoped to end their three game losing streak but were left frustrated with Sidmouth running away with the win and the first team to do the double over the CABs.
Dan Goldsmith ran out first with the cheer of the crowd behind him to celebrate his one hundredth appearance for the club.
The Blacks started the game well, playing mostly in the visitor’s half and within two minutes, George Hillson dotted the ball down to score the first try of the game and he kicked the extra points.
Sidmouth’s number 8 & former Exeter Chief, Shaun Malton scored a try fifteen minutes later, following a crucial mistimed tackle in midfield and James Docherty scored the extra two points.
Dan Goldsmith was sin-binned for collapsing a maul on their five-yard line and Sidmouth were awarded a penalty try, with Goldsmith receiving the mandatory yellow card..
Three minutes after this, George Hillson was yellow carded for knocking the ball out of Sidmouth’s scrum half’s hands to add to the CABs woes. This enabled Sidmouth to set up another powerful catch & drive with Malton benefitting as he scored his second try, but the conversion was missed, making the score seven to nineteen.
Only seven minutes after this, Sidmouth’s number fourteen, Tom Price, scored a try but the conversion was missed, as Sidmouth cleverly created space and capitlised on the extra two men. The half-time focus was very much on how the game had to be pretty much error-free and to be more physical in every aspect; particularly at breakdown and in completing the tackle. Right from the re-start the CABs took it to Sidmouth and their fortunes were enhanced when Seb Cox was victim to a head-on-head tackle and subsequently the Sidmouth player was red carded.
Shortly after this, Dom Ellery scored a try after weaving his way through a gap in their defence and Hillson scored the conversion to make the score fourteen to twenty-four and the CABs were back in the game. However, a knock-on and then scrum penalty gave Sidmouth a 5m lineout with Shaun Malton scored his hat trick try but the conversion was missed, increasing their lead to fourteen to twenty-nine.
Charlie Short was then yellow carded for a shoulder barge off the ball and Sidmouth scored another try but the conversion was missed.
Sidmouth made the most of their extra man and scored again 5 minutes later slipped through the Black’s defence and it was converted.
Sidmouth managed to get over the Black’s tryline again, but it was held up and shortly after the visitor’s tighthead prop was sent to the sinbin.
Seven minutes after, Billy Martin, the Black’s number sixteen, scored a try and the conversion was missed, rounding off the scoring 19 - 41
The Blacks are now twenty points behind the league leaders Brixham.
There is a two-week gap until the next away fixture so hopefully it will give the coaches time to improve the Cornishmen’s performance and iron out the kinks ready to play against Royal Wooten Bassett.
Launceston: Oliver Martin, Levent Bulut, Alex Bartlett, Dan Goldsmith, Leion Cole, Seb Cox, Dom Ellery, Charlie Short, George Hillson, Tom Sandercock (capt.), Ollie Bebbington, Brandon Rowley, James Tucker, Ben Bryant, José Luis Juarez, Tyler Westlake, Billy Martin, Jamie Chapman.
Tries: Hillson, Ellery, Martin (number 17); Convs: Hillson (2)
Launceston man of the match: Dan Goldsmith
Report by Lucy Beacham
