Carlisle not your average Joe for leaders

FLY-HALF Joe Carlisle kicked 20 points as leaders Old Elthamians won an eight-try thriller at College Meadow to record a seventh successive victory.

In a blistering, end-to-end encounter, it was Plymouth who raced into a 14-0 lead after only seven minutes, capitalising on home errors to score tries through Josh Skelcey and the outstanding Matt Shepherd.

Elthamians hit back with two tries of their own through locks Fred Hosking and Adam Batt to level the scores after 20 minutes.

Carlisle and Shepherd swapped penalties before slick hands from the Plymouth backs enabled centre Jon Dawe to touch down and give his side a deserved 24-20 interval lead.

The game continued in the same attacking vein after the break but, with the elements behind them and Carlisle pulling the strings, OEs began to take a stranglehold on proceedings.

Captain Hamish Barton crashed over from close range on 50 minutes and Carlisle kicked a third penalty to move OEs into a 30-24 lead.

The visitors cut the deficit to just one point when No.8 Herbie Stupple dived over from a fivemetre scrum, but penalties were to cost Plymouth dear.

Carlisle kicked a fourth three-pointer and then with seven minutes remaining, replacement scrum-half Rhys Morgan darted down the blindside of a maul to grab the crucial bonus-point try.