National League Three South West

Exmouth 20

Ivybridge know they will have to be on top form tomorrow when they welcome second-placed Brixham to Cross-in-Hand for what should be an electric south Devon derby writes Tim Leigh.

Ivybridge have taken to life in their new league like a duck to water and sit just two places below their more established rivals in fourth spot, having only lost once in three games this season.

Senior manager Neil Thomson admitted he was pleased with how things had gone, but stressed the need to continue gaining momentum.

He said: ‘We’ve just got to keep going. I’ve always said I don’t know how good this team can be and I still don’t, because they’re still improving.

‘It’s going to be a big derby, there’s a couple of Ivybridge old boys there and I think they’re bringing three coach loads of supporters.

‘It’s going to be tough, but that’s the case week in, week out in this league. We’ve won two out of three and hopefully we can make it three out of four.’

There is more good news for Ivybridge in the fact that Gareth Elliott will be available this weekend, with Elliott Worrall also hopefully joining him in he squad.

After a narrow two-point defeat to Barn­staple two weeks ago, 25-23, Ivybridge bounced straight back against Exmouth and secured their first attacking bonus point of the campaign.

Perhaps the biggest cheer of the day came when Ivybridge skipper Mike Cox went over for a try on the occasion of his 100th cap, a fitting way to celebrate this brilliant achievement.

In a topsy-turvy game, his try got Ivybridge back into the lead at 12-10, the fourth time the lead had changed hands in under half an hour of play.

Exmouth’s kicker Dan Powell got his side off the mark with a penalty on six minutes before Matt Finn res­ponded for Ivybridge with a stroll under the posts, mysteriously unconverted by Matt Grieveson.

Exmouth’s first try of the game then gave them the advantage once more, but Cox’s rumble and Grieveson’s extras made it 12-10.

A second penalty from Powell altered things once again to make it a one-point game, but the home side ensured they were the happier at half-time as full-back Tom Scoles finished off an overlap in his usual clinical style, with Grieveson again adding the two points for a 19-13 score at the break.

Ivybridge extended their advantage early in the second half through the boot of Grieveson, but Exmouth showed they were not going to give it up with a converted try in reply to close the gap to 22-20.

There followed the longest scoreless period of the match before Scoles settled matters with minutes to go, scoring a try in the corner converted superby by Grieveson to leave the final score 29-20 and stay unbeaten at home.

Reflecting on the game, Thomson said: ‘It was a good effort all round, the forwards and backs combined well. I think they turned up a bit cocksure, to be honest, we pinched a few line-outs and everyone played really well.’