Leaders Bournemouth power to victory

BOURNEMOUTH stretched their lead to seven points at the top of the South West Premier on a week which saw third place Barnstaple beat second place Ivybridge 3125.

First the league leaders had to win at a strong

Exmouth side which they accomplished with a 30-13 victory.

Bournemouth took just five minutes to take the lead when following a lineout Scott Chistlett crossed the whitewash. However, the hosts replied through an interception try followed by a penalty to give them a 10-5 lead.

Bournemouth replied after 30 minutes with Adam Davies scoring to put them back ahead 12-10 at half-time. Another penalty regained Exmouth the lead before Davies crossed again followed by Dan Stewart with his first try of the match with Grant Hancox completing the win.

That put the pressure on Ivybridge and despite scoring five tries including a double from Billy Pinkus with others coming from Damon Ackerman, Ben Watts and George Wilson they fell to a 31-25 defeat by Barnstaple.

Exeter University took a sixth victory of the season following a narrow 42-40 victory over Bracknell.

Tries for the Students came courtesy of a William Yarnell hat-trick while Edward Grinsted scored the only other try.

In reply Cam McDonald scored a brace while further tries came from Chris Laidler, Gabe Hills, Michael Clarke and Jason Henry. Camborne had an Alex Ducker brace to thank for their 29-27 victory over Cleve as they took a fifth victory of the season.

Maidenhead also remain in the fight for a top two place as they sealed a seventh win of the season with a convincing 44-20 win over Old Patesians. Will Macaulay and Dylan Baptiste took a brace of tries each while Adam Lubbock, Olly Foxley, Scott Prince and Perry Jansen all crossed the whitewash with Ed Keohane kicking two conversions.

Elsewhere, Brixham took a bonus point victory despite a late fight-back by

Drybrook eventually winning 33-24. And Weston-superMare beat Newton Abbott 39-27 to move up to ninth in the table.