Sat 18 Feb 2023
Polson hosted second-placed Chew Valley for their first ever visit, let alone league visit and it was fair to say that the CABs gave them a proper Polson welcome. Right from the first whistle Chew were not given a inch of space to work in, nor a millisecond to have a breather; such was the relentless nature of the whole team. It was obvious there was a lot of pent-up frustration being expended, following two one-point reverses in the preceding games (not to mention a pretty humbling experience in the away game) and particularly the manner of the defeat at Ivybridge.
The CABs kicked off, using the breeze, and playing towards the Tamar river. A couple of late changes (losing Andy Knight through illness and Jake Crabb moving to the bench, so he could get some rest/focus after spending the night welcoming his baby daughter into the world!) didn't make any detrimental impact as the CABs set out their stool with constant tackling, harrying of the Chew players and when in possession just hard, direct running with really abrasive ruck clear-outs. This was all done at a pace that the Chew players looked like they had never come across. Inevitably, the first score came. A number of drives by the forwards enabled scrum-half, Tom Sandercock, to make a break down the blindside. The ball was fed in and recycled and captain Lloyd Duke, was on hand to continue a pretty impressive season for tries and an easy conversion. The adage a team is never as vulnerable as when they have just scored was something that was discussed in the week and was an area of weakness last week (which allowed Ivybridge always to stay in the game). This week was very different; a tweak to the kick-off receipt set-up meant that any time Chew re-started the ball was made secure and exited in a relatively calm manner. Another feather in the cap went to the lineout defence; Chew did not win one clean ball on their own throw in the first half; thereby they were not able to set free their pacy back three. Time after time, the CABs played relentless rugby with the ball and the all suffocating defence resulted in play invariably been in the Chew half and two further penalties extended the CABs lead. However, the clock was ticking and the breeze was continuing to blow (not that the CABs were using their kicking game) and a 13-0 lead may not have been enough.
Fortunately, the next score came courtesy of Conrad Burne intercepting and running in & diving over the line (very much unlike Tom Daly for artistic merit) and a healthy cushion of 20-0 was taken into the half-time discussion. It was now a case of playing the breeze and defending in a similar manner to the first half. Unfortunately a few execution errors gave Chew possession in and around the CABs 22 and within 7 minutes of the re-start Chew had pegged it back to 20-7. Whereas the CABs were secure at kick re-start this week, Chew were anything but and on both occasions that Chew managed to score the CABs responded immediately. First up was George Bone driving over from close play and then Daniel Pearce slotting over a penalty to keep Chew at arm's length and just as importantly, oppress any momentum that Chew had just built up.
Another penalty extended the lead to 30-14 and the final few moments were all about the CABs trying to get that fourth try and a much-merited bonus point. However, tenacious defence and some held above the line decisions denied the CABs. The focus, in the after match huddle was now about taking this performance onto the Cornwall-Devon derby game and the re-arranged fixture v Okehampton. Both teams have certainly been playing well in recent months and it will be a belter
