Exmouth set up Senior Cup final against Devonport after beating Brixham

EXMOUTH will meet Devonport Services in the Devon Senior Cup final on May 4 after coming from behind to beat Brixham 33-41 in the last four.

The Cockles lost the first-leg 44-39 and looked to be on the way out after going into stoppage time a point ahead on the day and four behind in the match.

Then Brixham gifted Exmouth an interception try and it was over and out for the Fishermen.

Roger Holman, the Exmouth team manager, said: “It seemed Brixham had it in the bag and all they had to do was run down the clock.

“The interception try was a killer for Brixham. There was just time to restart and go through a couple of phases before the game ended.”

Exmouth were short of regulars in the backs at Astley Park, which meant some adjustments to plug the gaps.

Dave Bargent, normally a backfive forward, was deployed as a crash-ball centre and looked perfectly at home.

“With our forwards on top in almost all the scrums, and Dave going at them in the centre, our attack went well,” said Holman.

Four times Exmouth took the lead in the first half before reaching the interval with a slender 24-23 advantage.

Exmouth’s tries were scored by James Clarke, Matt Ryan and Ollie Dawe plus all three conversions and a penalty for Gareth Roebuck.

Jamie Hext, Jason Capaldi and Mitch Pinkus scored the Brixham tries. Pinkus put over a conversion and to penalties.

The second half was a little less lively for the scoreboard operator, but nonetheless gripping stuff.

Brixham went 33-27 ahead thanks solely to Pinkus, who started with a penalty and added the conversion to his own try. Roebuck responded from the tee for Exmouth.

With Brixham down to 14 men for the third time in the game – Nathan Reeves the offender – Exmouth sneaked ahead with a Jack Madge try that Roebuck converted.

Brixham were still in front on aggregate and had to play out the final seven minutes plus stoppage time to go through.

The game was won and lost when

Pinkus hurled an optimistic pass down the hill in the direction of the grandstand, only for Exmouth Adam Watts to get in the way.

Fifty metres later Watts went in under the Brixham woodwork and Roebuck chipped over the goal points. Game almost over.

Honiton’s season ended in disappointment as they bowed out of the Papa Johns’ South Shield 25-29 away to Newquay.

Exeter Saracens square-up to Torquay Athletic on Sunday in the final of the Devon Junior Shield.

Sarries trounced OPM 80-22 in the semi-final to set-up a third and final meeting with the Tics this season.

The ‘series’ score so far is one-all. Sarries lost 2-10 on their last visit to the Recreation Ground, but gained revenge second time around with a 15-13 win at Whipton.

Lee Western, the Saracens coach, said if previous meetings over the past couple of seasons are anything to go by it should be a cracking game on the historic Tics’ seafront ground.

“We are all looking forward to a humdinger as all games versus Torquay so far have been heavily contested affairs between two teams not afraid to attack,” said Western.

Jordan Shakespeare was the man of the moment in the semi-final win over OPM with a try hat-trick. There were two tries each for Tommy Drennan and Dom Boots-Hutchings.

Wes Burden, Reece Boots-Hutchings, Aaron Brown, Alfie McDonald and Jack Vicary had a try each. Vicary, Brown and Harvey Moore kicked the goals.