BRIXHAM RUGBY CLUB

MATCH REPORTS 2009/10

Team Contacts

6th March 2010 PAIGNTON 10 BRIXHAM 10
In the context of the chase for promotion this was an unsatisfactory result for Brixham. For supporters of either side it left them with much to talk about and "what-ifs" to ponder. As a local derby it had all the passion and excitement one could wish for with the result in doubt up to the final whistle.
Paignton had far the better of the opening exchanges and had Brixham penned into their own half for much of the opening quarter. Their attacking proved pointless as they were unable to penetrate the defences. A two-minute period midway through the half broke the deadlock. A passage of attacking play took Brixham into the Paignton 22 for the first time and culminated in hooker Dean Avery going over for a try. Ben Lovell added the conversion and Brixham had the lead.
Paignton came back strongly from the setback but Brixham began to enjoy a greater share of possession. Paignton failed to narrow the gap when a penalty goal went wide and Brixham failed to extend their lead when a Lovell drop-goal went astray.
In the second half Brixham had the advantage of the strong, cold, wind and pressed strongly in the opening minutes. Brixham had the wind but Paignton had the fire and, as in the first half, threatened the Brixham line. A missed drop-goal was immediately followed by a successful penalty kick and Paignton were on the scoreboard. Another penalty kick failed when it rebounded off the post but Paignton went into the final quarter with a narrow lead after a converted try.
For Paignton this was the high-water mark and the tide turned in Brixham's favour and they began to mount sustained passages of attacking play. When flanker Sam Thomas went over in the corner the Brixham fans cheered. Unfortunately he had released the ball too soon - no try. Three minutes later Lovell brought the scores level with a penalty but missed the chance to win the game when another attempt went wide.
Brixham pressed to the end and also had to contend with Paignton counter-attacks but ran out of time to secure the win they really needed.

27th Feb 2010 CHOSEN HILL 13 BRIXHAM 15
On Saturday Chosen Hill in Churchdown, Gloucestershire, were the hosts to Brixham for the first time. Brixham were forced to make changes to the side which had beaten Newton Abbot so convincingly the previous week. Lee Squire, Dan Ritson and Tom Goodman were unavailable and Luke Maggs, who had been selected, went down with a tummy bug. They were replaced by Ewan Campbell, Sam Thomas and Ben Cotton. Campbell and Cotton were making their first appearances in the First XV this season.
If Health and Safety Inspectors had anything to do with rugby pitches the game would have been ruled out on safety grounds. In the half hour preceding the early kick-off the clouds opened and delivered what seemed to be an endless amount of rain, which continued at intervals throughout the game making the pitch virtually impossible to play on.
Brixham won the toss and elected to play up the hill. Early exchanges were shared but in the 12th minute Brixham tried to run the ball out of defence. When it went to ground it was hacked on by Chosen Hill's right wing Mark Yemm who scored a try in the corner.
Soon after Brixham fell further behind when they were caught offside which allowed the home skipper Andy King to kick the goal to make it 8-0 to Chosen Hill.
Dylan Flashman had to leave the field with an injured shoulder on the half-hour mark -which put him out of the Devon U 20 team to face Gloucester at Cleve on Sunday. He was replaced by Sam Thomas (who was also selected for Devon U20s).
Brixham went further behind when they again attempted to play rugby with a ball which was like a bar of soap. Another fly kick from Yemm was rewarded by his second try.
Before the break Brixham got on the scoreboard after they were awarded a penalty. Ben Lovell kicked it to reduce the lead 13-3 at the break.
Stern words from coach Dan Parkes at half time had the desired effect on Brixham. They were virtually camped on the Chosen Hill line before Martin Browne picked up from the base of a scrum and was driven over for a try. Lovell converted to get Brixham within three points.
Brixham had certainly upped their game and were using the conditions to their advantage. They kept driving at the Chosen Hill line which finally broke when Mike Beeson was driven over for Brixham's second try to give Brixham the lead.
With 10 minutes to go Brixham took their feet off the pedals and allowed Chosen Hill to get close to their line and gave away several penalties. Two certain chances to win the game slid wide off the boot of King (who normally would have had no trouble burying other sides) and Brixham travelled home with the two League points.
Report - Danny Irvine

2oth Feb 2010 BRIXHAM 15 NEWTON ABBOT 14
A still, crisp afternoon and some early spring sunshine created a good atmosphere for this important local derby. Brixham needed to win to keep their promotion chances alive while Newton were keen to kill the Brixham dreams and boost their own chance.

Brixham fell behind after just two minutes when the Newton full-back Mike Saxon slotted a long-range penalty goal but had their visitors under pressure from the restart and soon got their noses in front. A poor clearance kick gave Brixham a lineout inside the Newton 22. The forwards secured the ball and drove forward through a couple of phases before releasing prop Lee Squire to rumble over for a try. Outside-half Ben Lovell narrowly missed the conversion.
Newton Abbot regained the lead on the 15 minute mark courtesy of a second Saxon penalty and began to dominate the game. Ten minutes or more of pressure on the Brixham line found no flaws or gaps in the home defence. Newton came away empty-handed after their efforts and lost the lead. Brixham opted to run the ball out of defence; winger Tom Goodman made a break and had centre Kyle Browne in support to finish off by touching down under the posts. Lovell had a straightforward conversion. Brixham extended their lead to 15-6 when Lovell slotted a penalty goal but the first half ended with Newton Abbot again testing the homesters defensive resolve.
The second half began as the first had ended with Newton on top in terms of possession and territory. Ten minutes into the half and they had reduced the arrears when their forwards drove over for a try. Saxon missed the conversion but a penalty goal three minutes later reduced the arrears to a single point. Unfortunately for Newton the tide had now turned. Brixham began to put the Newton scrum under pressure and spent much of the remainder of the game in the Newton half.
Brixham might have felt they deserved a penalty try after a series of penalties and 5 metre scrums but the referee had other ideas. Wingers Jamie Shone and Tom Goodman were both denied tries in the closing stages. A chip ahead for Shone bounced up nicely for him to collect and run in - but cruelly bounced far too high while Goodman collected a crossfield kick perfectly and had the line at his mercy only to be called back for an earlier penalty infringement.

Despite the close score this was an exciting and tense affair for both teams and their supporters.

13th Feb 2010 IVYBRIDGE 3 BRIXHAM 57
In the first ten minutes of the game Ivybridge scarcely laid a finger on the ball. Each time they kicked off Brixham secured the ball and drove at their hosts. A few phases of play took them into the Ivybridge half; Ivybridge were penalised and stand-off Ben Lovell kicked the resultant penalty. Four times the pattern was repeated. On the fifth occasion, three minutes later, the kick rebounded off the upright.
Another restart and again Brixham attacked - but with a difference. The ball was spun out along the backs for Tom Goodman to touch down in the corner. Lovell missed the difficult conversion. The next Brixham attack was also finished by Goodman under the posts to make Lovell's job easier. Midway through the first period and Brixham had 24 points on the board.
Ivybridge got three points back with a penalty goal but Brixham continued to drive them backwards and scored two more tries before the interval. A five metre lineout provided the platform for the first when hooker Dean Avery touched down after several phases of forward driving. The forwards did all the hard work before the ball was spun out wide across the pitch for a touchdown. Lovell added both conversions and Brixham led 38-3 at the break.
Ivybridge were more fired up in the second half and Brixham were less dominant. Where the first half had been almost error-free the odd mistakes crept in in the second. It took fifteen minutes of play before the scoreboard moved again. A storming run by Dylan Flashman took him through the first line of defence and left flanker Dan Ritson, in support, free to score a try under the posts; converted by Lovell.
With Brixham failing to capitalise on the half-chances they created, and having to do some defensive work as well, there was less than ten minutes of normal time left before they increased their lead. Camped on the Ivybridge line the forwards were unable to get over but eventually a break occurred for Lovell to score a try which he also converted. Further Brixham pressure resulted in a disallowed try when the ball was held up but from the resultant 5m scrum the ball was spun out along the backs for an unconverted try in the corner.
Ivybridge probably deserved a consolation try but didn't get one. Pressure on the Brixham line and a series of short-range penalties found the Black & White (really it was pink) defence unyielding and the final whistle came too soon for the homesters.

6th Feb 2010 YATTON 3 BRIXHAM 34
"When we scored our first try straight from the kick off there were only 33 seconds registered on the video camera.
With a score of 29 - 4 at half time an anticipated cricket score did not materalise.
The second half was a dreary stalemate strewn with errors and penalties and our insistance in thowing to the back of the line out in a strong breeze which reduced the flowing nature of the first half to a pleasant memory." - Mike Keast
The Fishermen had a dream start to the day when they collected the Yatton kick off and drove up field to release the backs. Full back Matthew Dempsey who had joined the line scored in the corner with only 60 seconds on the clock. No 10 Ben Lovell converted to make it 7-0. Direct from the kick off Brixham carried out the same proceedure with skipper for the day Michael Beeson crossing with Lovell again adding the points to double the score.
In the 14th Minute Brixham were camped in the Yatton 22. Yatton gave away a simple penalty for Lovell to increase the lead to 17-0
On the 25th minute Yatton, who were under constant pressure, failed to clear their line and allowed young flanker Sam Thomas to touch down for try number three. Lovell again converted to make it 24-0
Again and again the Brixham backs poured forward before, finally, Tom Goodman scored in the right corner to make it 29-0.
With time running out in the half Yatton finally got into the Brixham 22. where Brixham gave away a penalty which was scored by No 9 George Osborne.
Half time 29-3
In the second half Brixham were forced on the defensive by Yatton tactics of keeping a line of defenders across the park.
Brixham also fell foul of the referee who picked up 8 line outs as not straight and awarded 9 penalties to Yatton. In the 74th Minute Brixham finally broke clear of the shackles with Goodman going over for his second try. Dempsey who had taken over the kicking from Lovell (who had been replaced by Jamie Shone) hit the post with the conversion

30th Jan 2010 BRIXHAM 9 HARTPURY 23
The all-conquering College side paid their first visit to Astley Park on Saturday. They found Brixham, weakened by injuries to key players and unavailabilities, up for the contest and the margin of their win flattered them.
Brixham started strongly and had Hartpury on their back feet for the opening five minutes but when the visitors attacked they reaped immediate rewards, spinning the ball out for a try in the corner. Undaunted, Brixham pressed forward. Outside-half Ben Lovell saw his first attempted penalty goal go wide but Brixham continued to enjoy more of the possession and territory and on 25 minutes reduced the arrears when Lovell slotted a penalty.
Five minutes later and Hartpury went further ahead. After a spell of pressure by their forwards the ball was touched doewn for the second time; but again the conversion attempt failed. Further Brixham pressure at the end of the half brought Lovell a second penalty and the Fishermen turned around just 10-6 behind.
From the restart Brixham had the edge but could find no way through or around the College defence. Against the run of play Hartpury scored a third, unconverted, try. A penalty goal apiece midway through the half meant that Brixham started the final quarter nine points adrift. Brixham missed the chance to narrow the margin when Lovell missed a penalty from wide out but continued to test the visitors defence.
The superior fitness of Hartpury ensured that Brixham would not take their 100% record. Brixham spent most of the last ten minutes penned back but with the defence holding firm. There was an element of luck (as ever with a bouncing rugby ball) that enabled Hartpury to score their fourth try. The missed conversion was the last act of a game that even left the visitors' coaches wondering how Brixham had lost the previous two league games.

23rd Jan 2010 CULLOMPTON 18 BRIXHAM 11

16th Jan 2010 BRIXHAM 9 CLEVEDON 19
Brixham returned to league rugby after the festivities and freeze on Saturday. And returned to a rude awakening and their first home defeat of the campaign.
Against a lively and committed Clevedon side they were under pressure from the opening whistle. The visitors were committed to playing a tight game using their forwards to make progress. After eight minutes they spun the ball wide and found enough space to go over in the corner for the opening try.
With little possession Brixham were penned back in their own half and the game was in its second quarter before their first attack. A penalty kick from centre Ben Lovell reduced the arrears but the visitors continued to dominate up to the break.
Stern words from coach Dan Parkes during the interval had the desired affect as Brixham attacked from the outset of the second period. A penalty goal from Lovell put Brixham ahead but the lead was not to last long. Clevedon profited from a mistake in the Brixham defence when a Clevedon kick ahead was not dealt with. They crossed for a converted try.
Brixham were having a better second half but were unable to find any gaps. Unforced errors, in handling and kicking, meant they were unable to develop any sustained pressure. A third penalty goal from Lovell brought the gap back to just three points but a second kick and chase by Clevedon and a mistake in the home defence resulted in another try. Ten points behind with ten minutes to play. Brixham could find no way through.

12th Dec 2009 BRIXHAM 24 AVONMOUTH 10
Avonmouth, after a poor start to the season have been on a winning streak and posed a large potential banana-skin to the Fishermen. Both sides were changed from the previous week - Brixham had their first choice front row but Avonmouth were without their regular half-back pairing.
Three yellow cards saw Brixham reduced to seven forwards for almost half the match - which disrupted them a little. The first sin-binning came in the third minute but during its ten minute duration Brixham had put as many points on the board. First over the try line was centre Kyle Browne who didn't need the man outside him as he ran in. He was followed by winger Tom Goodman. Avonmouth had won a scrum against the head in midfield but when they passed the ball out Goodman intercepted and ran it in. Full-back Matthew Dempsey missed both conversions from wide out.
Fifteen minutes into the game and the match was virtually won. The Brixham forwards pressed on the Avonmouth line and, after several phases, over it. No 8 Martin Browne touched down and Dempsey added the extras.
Avonmouth got on the scoreboard with a penalty goal but Brixham were dominant and before half-time had extended the lead. A typical Dempsey jinking run took him in for Brixham's fourth try; his conversion gave his team a 24-3 interval lead.
In the second half the visitors had far too much possession and, with the wind behind them, play was largely in the Brixham half. The wise old heads in the Avonmouth pack had decided to keep it tight and drive through the middle. The game suffered as a spectacle. Brixham's defence held them at bay and they rarely seriously threatened to score. A passage of play ten minutes from time enabled them to lay siege to the Brixham line and, eventually, the 'Mouth forwards worked a deserved try. Having gained more scoreline respectability, the final ten minutes were fairly nondescript.

5th Dec 2009 St Marys OB 3 Brixham 13
Despite forced changes to their line-up, atrocious conditions and some unwanted injuries, Brixham won the game with a good second half display.

Brixham lost the toss and St Mary's choose to play down hill with the wind.
Brixham had the opportunity to open the scoring when St Marys were penalised in the third minute for not releasing. Ben Lovell, playing at fullback, pushed his kick wide of the post to let St Mary's off.
In the 10th minute Lovell had a second chance when St Mary's were penalised for not binding. His kick was taken by the wind and went wide. These misses seemed to galvanise St Mary's forwards to greater things and they pushed Brixhams defence to the limits. So much so that they ignored a couple of kickable penalties in order to have a go at getting a try from close in.
In the 30th minute they gave up trying and went for the goal when Brixham were penalised for not binding. Centre David Hastie kicked the goal to give St Mary's a deserved half time lead of 3-0.
The conditions were getting worse all the time. Handling conditions were becoming a nightmare and the ball was like a bar of soap. Despites this the Brixham Coach, Dan Parkes, was not amused at half time and the players felt his tongue.
From the restart Brixham upped the tempo and laid siege to the Old Boys line. The Old Boys Finally cracked when they failed to release the ball. Centre Matthew Dempsey took over the kicking duties and kicked the goal to bring the scores level.
The Fishermen were now having the best of the close quarters. Parkes made some tactical changes with Tom Clark and Dylan Flashman replacing Nick Stoneman and Steve Trust. Dylan had been left out to concentrate on the Devon U20 trial tomorrow.
With Clark now throwing the ball in at the line out. Brixham line out improved and it was from one of these close to the Old Boys line that Brixham won clean ball and drove over. Skipper Adam Thomas touched down for a try converted by Dempsey to make it 10-3.
Within minutes of each other Adam Thomas and then Tom Clark were carried off with ankle and leg injuries...Nick Stoneman replaced Tom Clark but Brixham had to play out what was thought to be the last few minutes a man short. Unfortunately for them the referee had different ideas and play continued for another 15 minutes. Brixham's 14 men defended exceptionally well and when Brixham were awarded a penalty for St Mary's going in on the side Dempsey kicked it from half way to seal the game.

Brixham were forced to make changes from their normal starting lineup with Crusaders hooker Michael Shears and prop Joe Bennetts drafted in to replace Michael Beeson and Matthew Skeet who were not available. With regular prop Dean Oram laid off under the RFU guidelines for concussion and Lee Squire also unavailable, Tom Clark (a former Brixham Colt at Gloucester University) came in as front row replacement.

28th Nov 2009 BRIXHAM 13 ST IVES 7
Bad weather is not really conducive to good rugby but Brixham and St Ives produced an interesting, and at times exciting, contest on Saturday.
Brixham had the better of the early exchanges and took the lead after just three minutes. From a close-range lineout the ball was spun out for winger Tom Goodman to go in under the posts. Full-back Matt Dempsey added the conversion.
Brixham continued to have the edge in the first quarter but were unable to add to their score, with the worsening conditions making handling difficult. St Ives concentrated on using their forwards to make hard yards against the Brixham defence and had much the better of the second quarter. Their forwards combined to drive over for a try which levelled the scores and Brixham remained largely penned back until the break.
From the restart Brixham were determined not to allow the visitors to impose their style of play upon them and with just two minutes on the clock Brixham were denied a certain try (for the second week running) when the final pass was deemed to have been forward. Regaining the lead did not take long, however. A storming run by No.8 Martin Browne broke through the defence and when St Ives were penalised for an offence at an ensuing ruck Dempsey was able to slot a penalty goal.
A very similar offence ten minutes later brought the same end result and Brixham were 13-7 ahead.
St Ives continued to play to their pack but Brixham provided the more adventurous and exciting play. The slippery ball made errors almost inevitable and though they came close on occasions Brixham were unable to add to their tally. The final whistle brought relief from the cold driving drizzle to the referee, players and spectators alike.

21st Nov 2009 Sidmouth 0 Brixham 14
Brixham avoided a potential banana skin at Sidmouth on Saturday. Miserable weather, a muddy pitch and a team desperate to climb away from the relegation zone were not the ingredients for a great spectacle and the counter attraction of televised internationals restricted the crowd to the die-hards and the crazy.
Brixham won the game in the first quarter. Playing up the slope, and with the advantage of the strong wind, they got off to a great start and with just three minutes gone went ahead. A forward drive took them over the line near the corner flag for Mike Beeson(?) to ground the ball. Matt Dempsey slotted the difficult conversion.
Brixham continued to apply pressure and only last ditch defence by Sidmouth prevented them from extending their lead on two occasions. The first came when scrum-half Cory Moore broke through in midfield; prop Nick Stoneman in support was brought down just short of the try line. Tom Goodman on the right wing suffered the same when his run up the touchline was halted. When Brixham turned the ball over in midfield and fed the ball out to Goodman he again sped toward the line but his grubber kick confused the defence and he won the chase to touch down. Dempsey converted and with 17 minutes on the clock Brixham were deservedly 14-0 ahead.
With the playing conditions getting no better the game settled down to a slogging match with neither side able to make much impact or develop any consistent pressure.
On the stroke of half-time Brixham ran the ball out of defence and with good handling created a breach in the home defence and men to spare to run in their third try - only to be denied by the referee for a forward pass.
Play in the second half never rose to any great heights as Sidmouth concentrated on trying to batter a way through with their forwards. Brixham had a few opportunities to increase their lead but could find no way through. Less than fifteen minutes remained before Sidmouth had their first real scoring opportunity but a penalty attempt in front of the posts went astray. A second opportunity was rejected in favour of a quick tap penalty and the ensuing play took them close to the Brixham line. Unfortunately the defence was at home to snuff out their attack.

7th Nov 2009 BRIXHAM 18 PAIGNTON 8
Brixham edged out Paignton in a typically tense local derby on Saturday. With the wind at their backs in the first half the Fishermen pressed straight from the kick-off and with just two minutes on the clock were threatening the Paignton line. Only for the visitors' flying winger Jimmy Bearsdsmore to intercept a Brixham pass in his own 22 and race up the touchline to score the opening try. Brixham returned to the offensive and the play was almost entirely in the Paignton half. Brixham failed to find many chinks in the Paignton defence but took the lead when the ball went wide on the left for a try in the corner and a touchline conversion by Ben Lovell.
Two penalties from the boot of Lovell (and two uncharacteristic misses) saw the Fishermen heading into halftime with a 13-5 lead. In the conditions, this scoreline was probably more satisfactory to the visitors. With the break looming Paignton, for the first time in the match, took the action into the Brixham half but their only reward - a penalty goal attempt - went wide.
Within two minutes of the restart they had reduced the deficit with a Matt Jackson penalty. Paignton failed to take full advantage from the wind in the secxond half which developed into a ding-dong battle with the defences on top. Brixham doubled their lead midway through when Mark Harvey was on hand to finish a move with a try but scoring chances for either side were few.
In the coming weeks Brixham can look forward to games with two of the leagues strugglers - plus a return trip to Newton Abbot in the Devon Cup.

31st Oct 2009 NEWTON ABBOT 15 BRIXHAM 9
Brixham slipped to third place in the League after losing at Rackerhayes. Neither set of supporters had much to cheer about during a game that had few highlights.
Brixham started brightly and took the lead through a Ben Lovell penalty after three minutes but could not increase it as the All Whites concentrated on Plan A - driving play by their forwards supported by positional kicking. In the tenth minute this was rewarded with the opening try - from a lineout close to the Brixham line a catch-and-drive resulted in a touchdown and successful conversion.
Brixham looked dangerous when they ran kicks back at Newton but basic errors robbed them of much possession and they struggled to create phases of play that would have kept Newton under pressure.
Defence against Newton's forward drives was the order of the day for Brixham and they were successful for the remainder of the first half. Their occasional attacking flurries brought reward just before the break with a second Lovell penalty and turned around 7-6 behind.
The pattern of play in the second period was similar. Newton's pack was successfully held out several times by Brixham's forwards before another catch and drive produced the second try. The conversion attempt failed off the post and Brixham were six points adrift.
In the final quarter Brixham realised that the game was still winnable. Lovell slotted a third penalty to narrow the gap. After winger Jamie Shone narrowly failed to get to the try-line, and Newton conceded a penalty, Lovell had the chance to level the scores but his kick was just wide.
A ding-dong final period ensued and the travelling supporters were just starting to cheer when a Newton attack broke down and an interception left Brixham's backs with a clear run-in to the line. Only for the referee to call them back to an earlier offence and award a penalty to Newton. After the successful kick there was too little time left for Brixham.

Next week another local derby brings Paignton to Astley Park.

24th Oct 2009 BRIXHAM 54 IVYBRIDGE 6
Brixham bounced back from the defeat at Hartpury in emphatic style. The forced changes to the team did not disrupt their play and the Fishermen produced some of the best rugby seen at Astley Park for several years.
Playing up the slope and into the strong wind The Fishermen had their visitors under pressure from the kick-off. An early opportunity to take the lead was missed when Ben Lovell's penalty attempt cam back off the post but almost immediately after centre Kyle Browne finished off a move by the backs to cross for the opening try. Immediately after the restart kick Ivybridge were awarded a penalty which got them on the scoreboard but Brixham were coping better with the conditions and a penalty from Lovell midway through the half extended the lead.
The Brixham pack were more than holding their own against the Bridgers big forwards and they combined for the second try; Mike Beeson touching down under a sea of bodies after a forward drive.
Out among the backs Brixham had more pace and flair than the visitors and Matt Dempsey finished a move, and extended the lead, with a try in the corner. Ivybridge managed a second penalty before the break.
In the second period, without the wind to assist in gaining ground from clearance kicks, Ivybridge were under virtually continuous pressure. Two tries by winger Jamie Shone in the left corner - both converted - and a penalty goal by Dempsey pulled Brixham well clear.
Two more tries in quick succession midway through the half but the result well beyond doubt. The first was a solo effort by centre Steve Worth, breaking through several tackles in the process; the second was finished by Dempsey who converted both.
In the final fifteen minutes Brixham were denied two more tries due to forward passes but their good handling and support play were rewarded at the end when winger Tom Goodman crossed for Brixham's eighth and final try.

17th Oct 2009 HARTPURY COLLEGE 47 BRIXHAM 6
Two reports!
Hartpury were clearly taking seriously this fixture with joint leaders Brixham as they fielded their strongest posible team, even recalling their no 8 who was originally selected as a Gloucester replacement.
A high intensity start by them tested the Fishermen,s defensive capabilities to the full and it was ten minutes into the game before they scored their first try from a counter attack started in their own half when Brixham kicked away possession.
With limited ball the attacking opportunities for Brixham were limited and the remaining scores of the half by the hosts came from deep following poor defensive kicking and not helped by hooker Dan Stead being sin binned for a professional foul..
Brixham got on the scoreboard with two Ben Lovell penalties resulting in a half time scor of 27-6.
The second half continued in a similar manner with Brixham valiantly repelling a tide of attacking play, Following Dan Stead's dismissal for a second yellow card offence Brixham had to play the remainder of the game with 14 men. Reorganisation by both sides following injury disrupted the flow of the game for a while but Hartpury attacked strongly in the final quarter scoring 4 tries wide out on the right when Brixham ran out of defensive players.
After the game the coaching staff of Hartpury were highly complimentary of the Brixham performance but when all was said and done the Fishermen were outplayed by an extremely fit and well drilled team with many high potential players on view.
Brixham came out of this game with a considerable amount of credit

Hartpury College did Brixham the honour of parading their full first team to play Brixham for the first time this season. Hartpury made eight changes from the side that played Avonmouth and included Welsh Full International Nathan Thomas (5 Caps) in their team.
Hartpury opened the scoring in the 9th minute when a wayward Brixham kick found the safe hands of outside-half Sam Dimmick who put winger Chris Hawkins away on the left to score in the corner which Dimmick converted. On the 18th minute Dimmick added a drop goal to make it 10.0
Brixham got some points back when Hartpury were penalised for hands in the ruck and Lovell's kick made it 10-3.
Brixham were reduced to 14 men when hooker Dan Stead was sin binned for playing the ball on the ground.
In the 33rd minute Hartpury increased their lead with a try from their other winger James Love.
Brixham had to make changes when Skipper Adam Thomas had to leave the field with a twisted knee to be replaced by Dylan Flashman...
Hartpury were penalised on the kick off for failing to release which allowed Lovell to kick his second goal and reduce the deficit to 15-6.
Brixham were again punished from a wayward kick which allowed No 14 James Love to gallop over to increase the lead 20-6
In the sixth minute of first-half extra time centre Jean Botha broke clear to score and Dimmick converted to give Hartpury a half time lead of 27-6.
At half time Brixham were forced to make another change. Steve Worth came on for Ross Edwards whose ankle was giving him repeated problems. This caused other midfield changes. In the first minute of the second half Brixham knew it was not to be their afternoon when Stead was penalised for a late tackle on the scrum half and his second yellow card. Further changes were now necessary with flanker Dan Ritson moved up to hooker.
Brixham were putting up a terrific fight but were being overwhelmed by numbers. Two tries on the right in quick succession by Love, one converted by Dimmick, increased Hartpury's lead to 37 -6.
Brixham had to replace to injured prop Dean Oram with Joe Bennetts (who is also a student at Hartpury). With stand in captain Nathan Riley urging his men forward at every opportunity. Brixham gave away the ball in the tackle which allowed centre Wallace to gallop through to make it 42 6
With time running out Brixham's depleted numbers were trying to force a score when they lost the ball in the tackle which allowed Love to complete his hat trick.

Brixham coach Dan Parkes summed up the afternoon in a simple fashion "we were beaten by a far better side. Who would on the day have beaten teams from National 2 if not higher?". "The Brixham team deserve the highest praise for the way they conducted themselves here this afternoon and never gave in".

10th Oct 2009 BRIXHAM 32 CULLOMPTON 13
Brixham recorded their sixth win on Saturday to retain their 100% record and top spot in the League, but were made to work hard for it by a spirited Cullompton side.
Brixham were ahead within a minute. A deep kick-off put Cullompton under pressure. Their clearance kick was charged down; Brixham won a 5 metre lineout, secured the ball and the forwards drove over the line. Hooker Dan Stead grounded the ball for the try converted by centre Ben Lovell.
The first half then developed into a ding-dong tussle. Against the wind and slope, Cullompton tried to use their forwards to make headway but found Brixham unyielding. The decisive attacks came from the Brixham backs and two similar attacks midway through the half extended the lead. On both occasions the ball was spun out to the left for a try in the corner. The first was scored by fullback Steve Worth, the second by debutant winger Tom Goodman. Lovell missed both conversions in the tricky wind.
A period of Brixham pressure on the Cullompton line found no openings and Lovell opted for a drop-goal to extend the lead. Brixham would probably have settled for a 20 point lead at the break but it wasn't to be. Just before the break winger Matt Dempsey recovered the ball in his own half and set off on a mazy, jinking, run that confused and split the defence. Several pairs of hands later the ball ended up with flanker Dan Ritson who headed for the posts and almost crawled over the line for the try. Lovell's conversion made it 27-0 at the break.
In the second period things started badly for Brixham when the restart kick was knocked on. Cullompton had an attacking position and made it count when they used their backs to cross for a try in the corner. Brixham had been shaken and within five minutes were rattled a bit more when the visitors' backs stretched the Brixham defence again and scored a second try.
With Cullompton running the ball back at every opportunity Brixham were kept penned back and had few attacking opportunities. Cullompton narrowed the gap with a penalty goal but as the half progressed found few chinks in the Brixham defence and the Fishermen had the final say in proceedings. No 8 Martin Browne broke from a scrum on the Cullompton 22 and found space in front of him. With only the fullback in the way an offload put Ritson in for his second try and the victory was secured.

3rd Oct 2009 Clevedon 10 Brixham 25
Brixham travelled to Clevedon in a hopeful mood having won their first four league games. Clevedon, on their last outing, lost to Avonmouuth, whom Brixham had already beaten.
Brixham made changes to the starting line up. With Mike Beeson injured, Dan Stead came in to deputise at hooker. Cory Moore also started.
The Fishermen won the toss and elected to take the strong wind and play up against the slope.
Brixham opened the scoring in the fifth minute when the ball was spun wide for centre Kyle Browne to dart over in the corner for a try which centre Ben Lovell converted.
Clevedon were not giving anything away and in the 26th minute, from one of their well practiced moves, produced a try for centre Rory Biggins. The conversion attempt was carried away by the gale force wind.
In the 36th minute Clevedon were caught for a high tackle on Ross Edwards. Lovell made no mistake with the penalty and increased Brixham's lead to 10 -5. which they held until the break.
The travelling faithful were now looking at the sky and hoping that the wind might drop away but within a few minutes Brixham had increased their lead. They moved the ball wide for Kyle Browne who broke through a tackle and went over near the posts. Lovell converted.
Ten minutes into the second period and Lovell had another opportunity to kick into the gale when Brixham were awarded a penalty for offside. Another successful kick gave the Fishermen a 20-5 lead.
Brixham went further ahead when they won a lineout on the Clevedon line. Prop Lee Squire was able to drive for the line before offloading to flanker Alun Glanvill who dived over in the corner. Converting from the touchline was asking too much of Lovell's ability in the conditions.
Dead on the end of normal playing time, with flanker Bryan Crichton having a rest in the bin, Clevedon managed to win some loose ball and drove over the line, the try claimed by lock Ben Chase.
The referee, Mr Parsons of the Bristol Society, found 8 minutes of injury time but the Fishermen had little trouble in defending until he blew time.
This was another excellent away win for Brixham to add to the one against Avonmouth. The President of Clevedon, Mike Thomas, was very gracious in defeat, saying that on the day they had lost to a better side.

Sept 26th 2009 BRIXHAM 31 CHOSEN HILL 16
Brixham's bright start to the season continued on Saturday with victory over Chosen Hill who were making their first visit to Astley Park. Brixham's errors meant that the margin of victory was less than it could have been but four wins out of four are what really count.
An aggressive start saw Brixham pounding the visitors defence in the opening minutes and two penalties from Matt Dempsey set the scoreboard going. For most of the rest of the first half the play was fairly evenly contested. Chosen Hill got themselves on the board with a penalty after 15 minutes. Dempsey slotted a third for Brixham and Chosen Hill reduced the gap to three points with their second.
In the last ten minutes of the half Brixham effectively won the game. After attacking down the right the ball went out through the backs for Dempsey to cross in the corner. Shortly after the Brixham pack combined to drive over the line, flanker Alun Glanvill grounding the ball. Dempsey missed both conversions but Brixham had a 19-6 lead at the break.
Within a minute of the restart the lead was increased. Chosen Hill were attacking and chipped the ball over the Brixham backs. Straight into the arms of Dempsey on his own 22. He evaded all attempted tackles and ran the ball in for his second try.
Chosen Hill scored a third penalty goal and, with less than 15 minutes to go, a try.
A clearance kick out of defence by Brixham was charged down and the visitors were virtually gifted a try under the posts and an easy conversion. Whatever hopes they had for a comeback were dashed in the closing minutes. Brixham's pack pounded the try line and crossed it twice but both were disallowed. Finally the backs combined to put Kyle Browne free to run the ball in.
With the last kick of the match Ben Lovell slotted the conversion.

Sept 19th 2009 BRIXHAM 44 YATTON 7
Brixham took a very early lead on Saturday when centre Karl Browne rounded off their first attacking move with his maiden try. Fullback Ben Lovell missed the conversion from the touchline.
The lead did not last long. Yatton attacked from the restart but when a Brixham clearance kick was charged down the visitors capitalised with a try under the posts and easy extras.
Brixham were straight back on the attack and on the ten minute mark Lovell kicked a penalty to get ahead, thanks to an upright.
In what developed into an evenly contested first half Yatton had two chances to regain the lead midway through but both long-range penalty kicks fell short. Instead, Brixham increased their lead with a second Lovell penalty and on the stroke of half-time extended it when their forwards drove over the line for flanker Sam Thomas to ground for a try. With Ben Lovell injured from an earlier incident Matt Dempsey stepped up to add the conversion.
Two minutes into the second half and winger Dempsey wrong-footed three defenders before crossing for a try which he converted. After the near parity in the opening stages of the game the Fishermen had opened up a 25-7 lead which they were unlikely to give up.
Ten minutes later and the Brixham pack again combined to give prop Lee Squire a touchdown amid a sea of bodies; Dempsey again added the conversion.
The game was delayed for over thirty minutes, while awaiting an ambulance, following a neck injury to one of the Yatton props. When play resumed it was the visitors who started most brightly and Brixham had to be on their toes to keep them out.
Unlike Yatton. when the Fishermen did attack they were rewarded. From a chip kick over the defence Brixham won a 5metre scrum and from an ensuing ruck Squire was in position to grab a second try. Dempsey missed the conversion,
Yatton, to their credit, never gave up the game but equally were never able to create any real scoring opportunities. Brixham sealed the game late on when flanker Bryan Crichton came away from a ruck with the ball 30 metres out and ran in virtually unopposed to give Dempsey his easiest conversion of the game.

Sept 12th 2009 AVONMOUTH OB 13 BRIXHAM 19
Brixham must have thought here we go again Avonmouth prop and skipper Grant Briton fly kicked the ball through a melee of players which bounced the wrong way for the covering Brixham defence allowing the ball to be won back by the Avonmouth backs coming up in a line and they moved it to right wing Andy Russell who was allowed space to run in a try and Avonmouth a 7pt lean in the fifth minute.
Brixham went further behind on the 10th minute when were adjudged to have come off side and the penalty kick went over. Brixham rallied immediately and forced play up the field for Avonmouth to be caught offside. Ben Lovell mad no mistake with the kick to put Brixham on the scoreboard 10-3.
Brixham forwards were dominating the line out and forcing Avonmouth into errors, it was from one Avonmouth error that Brixham won quick ball and moved left to allow Alex Brown to squeeze over in the corner. Lovell converted to make 10-0. Within seconds of the restart flanker Alun Glanvill was sent to the bin for persistent offside. Belvin made no mistake with the kick to put Avonmouth back into the lead.
With time running out in the half Brixham's forwards got themselves back into Avonmouth 22 when they were again penalised for offside. Lovell again made no mistake and the score was back to evens - 13-13 and half time.
Brixham's forwards were give the Avonmouth eight a very hard time forcing them into error after error. A very different story to last season when Avonmouth held the upper hand it was these errors in the 54th and 85th minutes that allowed Lovell to land two further penalties. Brixham's defence was tested in the closing minutes but held firm

September 5th 2009 BRIXHAM 23 TORQUAY 8
The first League game of the season threw up the first local derby - something neither side would really have wished for. Despite having scored almost 50 points against Tiverton in the Devon Cup last week Torquay were well beaten and the margin should have been greater if Brixham had converted more of their possession into points.

Brixham went behind after just five minutes to a penalty goal from halfway but this only spurred them on and they were almost immediately back on level terms. Brixham attacked from the restart. Although Ben Lovell's drop goal attempt went just wide the referee was playing advantage and Lovell slotted the penalty. Five minutes later and another Brixham attack. Torquay's defence went offside and gave Lovell another penalty goal - Brixham ahead 6-3.
Midway through the first half and the Brixham forwards drove towards the line and prop Joe Bennetts touched down for a try beneath the mass of bodies; Lovell missed the conversion.
Torquay now began to show a little more interest in offense but got no more reward than a second long distance penalty attempt. This fell short but a couple of minutes later they ran in a try. Not something they created, however, but resulting from an interception in midfield when Brixham were attacking.
Brixham restored their lead to 14-8 with the last kick of the first half when Lovell slotted his third penalty.
The second period was very similar - Brixham enjoyed most of the possession and kept Torquay penned back but were unable to create the breaks that would have resulted in tries. Lovell added three further penalties to boost Brixham's winning margin.

Friday 21st August 2009
Brixham Team 12 Westcountry Warriors 8 (friendly)

Saturday 22nd August 2009
Brixham Team 12 Devonport Services 7 (friendly)

A few pictures from the games below; click the picture on the right for a short video clip and make your own mind up

MATCH REPORTS 2008/9

Saturday 18th April 2009 NEWTON ABBOT 35 BRIXHAM 13
The final league fixture of the season took Brixham to the attractive ground of Newton Abbot.
With the referee keen to enforce the laws around the tackle area Brixham were the beneficiaries in the opening minutes and two penalties from Ben Lovell eased them ahead. With the Brixham pack holding their own it was the Newton backs who caused the trouble and began to keep Brixham penned back. A try in the corner got Newton onto the scoreboard midway through the half and two penalties put them 11-6 ahead. Each side missed a further penalty before the break but Brixham were still in the game.
Ten minutes into the second half and it was lost. Fast running, good passing and poor takles earned the Whites two tries (and a conversion) and Brixham were chasing the game. Two more tries midway through the half put Newton out of sight.
Brixham rallied late on and substitute Nathan Dallow went over for a try converted by Lovell which was some consolation to the Fishermen.

Saturday 4th April 2009 BRIXHAM 9 TAUNTON 67
One thing the Fishermen didn't need at the end of a difficult season was the visit of unbeaten League leaders Taunton. Another was to face them with a side weakened by injury problems. Although the Brixham pack did well to handle their counterparts the pace of the Taunton backs and the good support-play was the real difference between the teams.
For the first twenty minutes the exchanges between the sides were fairly even. Two penalty goals from Ben Lovell were the fruits of Brixham attacking; against which a penalty and a converted try were enough to put Taunton ahead. The visitors then began to dominate proceedings and before half time had added two further tries, both converted. Brixham added a third Lovell penalty just before the break.
In the second period there was little for the Brixham supporters to cheer about. Taunton had Brixham under virtually continuous pressure and the one-way traffic provided them with six tries, five conversions and a penalty goal.

Saturday 28th March 2009 YATTON 16 BRIXHAM 16

Saturday 7th March 2009 BRIXHAM 30 WALCOT 17
Saturday's win over Walcot, from Bath, took Brixham up to fifth place in the League table; overtaking Torquay in the process. The game was not an exciting spectacle but Brixham were solid when they needed to be and showed flair when they had the opportunity.
Walcot missed an early opportunity to take the lead with a penalty from the halfway line. With the wind and the slope in their favour the visitors kept pegging Brixham back into their own half when unforced errors by the Fishermen turned the ball over.
Midway through the first half Brixham broke the deadlock when a run and chip ahead by winger Adam Chadwick was finished off by centre James Agates touching down for a try. Ben Lovell was unsuccessful with the conversion. Walcot missed a second long-range penalty before Lovell made amends with a penalty. Brixham had an eight point lead with half-time looming but when Walcot ran the ball out of defence they found a gaping hole in the centre and ran through to touch down under the posts. The conversion ensured that Brixham had the narrowest of leads when they turned around.
In the second period Brixham started strongly and a multi-phase attack was rounded off when Nathan Riley found a path to the line. His try was converted by Lovell to restore the eight point gap.
With the elements in their favour Brixham began to get on top but Walcot always posed a threat with the good passing and support play of their back division. Penalties were traded midway through the half before hooker Matt Skeet made the game safe for Brixham with a try; converted by Lovell. With five minutes remaining the victory was ensured when Lovell and winger Dan Grinrod combined to put the latter clear in the corner. Lovell's conversion attempt was a "poster".
In the last move of the game Walcot finished the scoring with their second converted try.

Saturday 21st February 2009 ST IVES 34 BRIXHAM 10

Saturday 14th February 2009 BRIXHAM 34 ST MARYS OB 15
Brixham bounced back from their heavy defeat at Barnstaple last week with a good win in the League on Saturday.
Brixham started slowly - or at any rate slower than the visitors. Almost from the kick-off they were caught offside but the penalty attempt went wide. Five minutes later and a second kick put them three points down. The St Mary's lead did not last long. Brixhams first visit to the opposition 22 resulted in a penalty which Ben Lovell landed to level the scores. Five minutes later and Brixham were attacking again - culminating in Jake Lawrence going over for the opening try, converted by Lovell.
A second Lovell penalty increased the lead but St Marys were back in the game after a forward drive brought them a try just before half-time. After a first half in which honours were virtually even, Brixham were leading 13-8 at the break.
In the second half Brixham began to get on top but missed an early opportunity to increase their lead when Lovell's penalty attempt went wide. Brixham's normally reliable defensive tackling allowed the visitors few opportunities. Winning opposition line-out ball and pressurising the visitors on their scrums kept Brixham on the front foot and eventually cracks were found in the St Marys defence. Three tries, all converted by Lovell, were the result. The first saw winger Adam Chadwick finish off a move by crossing the line to touch down under the posts; the second was finished off by Lovell wide on the left. Rounding off a fine day for the forwards, flanker Jack Linley-Shaw scored the third, going over under the posts.
In injury time St Marys got a second, consolation, try.

Saturday 31st January 2009 TORQUAY 20 BRIXHAM 12
Brixham missed the chance to get revenge for their earlier defeat and go above Torquay in the League on Saturday.
There was little between the sides though the Torquay backs made more ground than their Brixham counterparts and wasted, or lost, less of the possession they had.
Brixham went ahead in the third minute with a Ben Lovell penalty but this was short-lived as Torquay replied in kind. Midway through the first half both sides missed penalties as play swung both ways.
Torquay began to enjoy more of the possession and territory as at first half went on but Brixham regained the lead through a second Lovell penalty. A spell of Tics pressure then penned the Fishermen back and from a lineout close to the Brixham line the Torquay forwards and backs combined to craft a try. The conversion took them to the break 10-6 ahead.
In the second half Torquay continued to have the edge but Lovell reduced the lead with his third penalty midway through. A further penalty apiece and Torquay were leading 13-12 with ten minutes remaining. Brixham were now pushing Torquay back but were undone when Torquay kicked for the corner and there winger was judged to be impeded in the chase for the ball. Torquay were awarded a penalty try and an easy conversion; Brixham had too little time to get back into the match and lost the latest Battle of the Bay.

Saturday 24th January 2009 BRIXHAM 30 PAIGNTON 6
Brixham bounced back from their setback at Sidmouth with a deserved win over Paignton.
With the advantages of both the wind and the slope Brixham enjoyed the better of the early exchanges. Centre Ben Lovell kicked them ahead with a penalty after ten minutes but Paignton swiftly replied. Two more Lovell penalties midway through the half re-established the lead but Brixham were unable to break the Cherries' defence and turned around 9-3 ahead after a dull first half.
With the elements now in their favour Paignton probably thought they had done enough to set up a win. Three minutes into the second half they narrowed the gap with a penalty goal. From the restart Brixham attacked and Lovell restored the six-point lead when his fourth penalty squeezed over the crossbar.
Five minutes later Brixham, or rather Lovell, extended the lead. Fast hands sped the ball out to the right flank and Lovell was on hand to finish the move by touching down in the corner. His conversion attempt, into the wind, went wide but a penalty kick minutes later was true and the Fishermen led 20-6.
Paignton now enjoyed their best period of the game and for ten minutes had Brixham penned back into their own 22 and defending ferociously. The visitors could not breach the defences and when Brixham cleared their lines and attacked again were rewarded with another penalty. Lovell, for the sixth time, was successful.
Having withstood everything that Paignton could throw at them it was Brixham who finished strongly. A period of forward pressure culminated in flanker Alun Glanvill crossing the line - only for the referee to judge that the ball had been help up. From the resulting 5 metre scrum No 8 Nathan Riley broke off the back to score a try, converted by Lovell, and secure the victory.

Saturday 17th January 2009 SIDMOUTH 20 BRIXHAM 9
The only senior game on Saturday saw Brixham's winning run come to an end at Sidmouth in the rearranged League match. The Brixham forwards did all the hard work in preventing the Sidmouth pack from gaining much ground with their pickup and drives but were unable to make much headway themselves.
In the opening ten minutes the two sides traded missed penalties but Sidmouth then got on top and had Brixham pegged back. The Sidmouth backs looked lively on the few occasions their pack gave them the ball but were unable to create any openings. Having withstood the homesters attacks Brixham came back into the game in the last ten minutes of the first half and two penalties from Ben Lovell took them to a 6-0 interval lead.
Sidmouth were back on top after the break but missed an opportunity to reduce the deficit when they missed a penalty in front of the posts. Brixham were able to clear their lines minutes later released the ball to the backs. A one-handed catch by Dempsey allowed him to break the home defence and put Jonny Brown in at the corner. Unfortunately the referee had seen a forward pass and the try was disallowed.
Almost immediately Sidmouth had scored one at the opposite end when poor tackling allowed them to break through the Brixham lines. The conversion gave them a one point lead. Two Sidmouth penalties and one in reply from Brixham took the lead to four points before Sidmouth found another gap in the Brixham defence to run through for a second try and conversion

Saturday 10th January 2009 BRIXHAM 21 TIVERTON 5
With the frozen pitch at Sidmouth causing the cancellation of their League game Brixham hastily brought forward their Devon Cup tie with Tiverton.
With the slope and wind against them in the first half Brixham struggled to make many inroads in the first half. Their typically determined tackling snuffed out Tiverton's attempts to run the ball but their own efforts were frustrated by handling errors and an equally robust defence.
The first half had its moments of excitement but neither side came very close to scoring and was pointless.
From the restart Brixham were on the attack and after just three minutes had broken the stalemate when Ben Lovell kicked a penalty. The lead was short-lived. From a scrum in their own half Tiverton mounted an attack when their scrum-half evaded four tackles to break clear and the move was finished off with a try in the corner.
With Brixham on top territorially the visitors spent most of the time defending and two further penalties from Lovell were sufficient reward to ease Brixham back into the lead. When Tiverton restarted after the second of these the ball went out to Brixham's Jonny Brown. A deft kick over the defence and an unexpectedly good bounce enabled him to reclaim the ball with the opposition wrongfooted and go over in the corner for a try.

Saturday 3rd January 2009 BRIXHAM 16 ST IVES 11
Brixham started the New Year with the rearranged League fixture against St Ives and looking to repeat the form they showed against Clevedon just before Christmas.
From the opening whistle they showed they meant business and had the visitors on the defensive. An early opportunity to take the lead went missing when Ben Lovell put his first penalty goal attempt just wide. On the ten minute mark his second attempt was better and Brixham had the lead. Strong and committed tackling halted St Ives in their tracks and the Fishermen continued to press forward. Midway through the first half found Brixham again on the attack and a jinking run from Jake Lawrence took him through the visitors' defence and over the line for a try; converted by Lovell.
Brixham created more opportunities as they continued to dominate but were only rewarded with a second penalty from Lovell and turned around 13-0 in front.
With the slope in their favour in the second half Brixham looked to extend their lead but the Cornishmen were not about to go down without a fight. From the outset they pushed Brixham back. With the Brixham defence resolute they could find no way through in their early attacks. Plan B was a well-worked move from a 5 metre lineout and resulted in a try after seven minutes play. A penalty goal followed five minutes later and the Brixham lead was down to 5 points.
Brixham regrouped, snuffed out the St Ives attacks and began to mount their own offensives. With less than a quarter of an hour remaining they gained some breathing space scorewise when Lovell slotted his third penalty goal but this was short lived as St Ives replied in kind. The final ten minutes were tense as one slip by the Brixham defence could have cost the game but they held firm and secured a hard earned victory.
With ten minutes remaining Tiverton had no time to rue the bad break they had just sustained but were unable to make much headway in their efforts to make amends. With the final whistle due a break from halfway by Mat Dempsey split the Tiverton defence. Ross Edwards continued the move and was on hand to finish it off with a touchdown in the corner. Lovell added the conversion and the referee had seen enough to blow for "no side."

Saturday 20th December 2008 BRIXHAM 38 CLEVEDON 5
Playing down the slope Brixham attacked from the off and had the lead after six minutes. Centre Alex Brown shrugged off his opposite number and created an opening to go over in the corner for a try, converted by full-back Ben Lovell.
The Fishermen were unable to extend their lead and Clevedon reduced it to just two points with a try midway through the first period. Neither side was able to dominate proceedings but Brixham established a healthy lead by the interval with two further tries. Lovell nipped over for the first followed shortly afterwards by Brown with almost a carbon-copy of his opening effort to give Brixham a 17-5 margin at the break.
In the second period Brixham had an early opportunity to increase their lead but Lovell's penalty went wide and they were then penned back into their own half. Solid defensive work kept the visitors at bay for almost 15 minutes. When Brixham did attack, however, their efforts were not unrewarded. Lovell finished off a move with a try and his conversion attempt, courtesy of ricochets off both posts, dropped over for the two extra points. A further five minutes of Clevedon pressure was also to no avail and when Brixham ran the ball out of defence winger Tim Bumby was in for Brixham's fifth try. Lovell's conversion was successful without the aid of the woodwork.
Three minutes later and the backs combined again for Ross Edwards to score the final try and give Lovell a last conversion.

Saturday 6th December 2008 TAUNTON 50 BRIXHAM 7
Brixham were forced to make seven changes from the side that lost narrowly to Newton Abbot the previous week and were severely disrupted by injuries during the game.
Veteran 45 year old utility prop/lock Colin Champion was pressed into service when colt Darren Levett (in to replace injured Dean Oram) dropped out. Michael Slater replaced the injured Anthony Soper. Matthew Skeet came in as hooker. Andrew Hawkes replaced Nathan Riley who was unavailable and Sam Thomas replaced the injured Alun Glanvill. Colin was making his first XV debut.
Taunton opened the scoring with a try in the 10th minute when they drove Brixham back 20 meters in a very tight driving maul. In the 27th minute Brixham No 5 Andrew Hawkes made a break down the middle which was carried on by Ben Lovell to score a try and kick the goal. Brixham now held a slender 7-5 lead but were soon behind again when Taunton were awarded a penalty for Brixham not being back 5 meters from a ruck. They went further ahead with a similar penalty for the same offence, to make it 11-7. It was at this point that Brixham No 8 Ryan Bradfield went down and the referee ordered both teams off into the dressing rooms to wait for the arrival of the ambulance. 30 minutes elapsed before play restarted. Ryan had recovered sufficiently to walk off the pitch. He took no further part in the game.
Five minutes into the second half Taunton were awarded a third penalty again for offside at a ruck.. It was at this point that Brixham had to make further changes when skipper Adam Thomas was replaced by Colin Horrocks. At the next scrum hooker Matthew Skeet injured his shoulder and left the field. He was replaced in the pack by wing Paul Lidster changing to flanker allowing Tim Bumby to come on to the wing.
All these disruptions were giving the Brixham forwards no time to settle down and gave Taunton a bigger advantage resulting in them scoring two pushover tries. In the 68 minute again from a scrum directly in front of the Brixham posts. Taunton won the scrum against the head; another try resulted and Brixham fell further behind . A lucky break enabled Taunton wing David Webber to run the length of the field to score under the posts and with the floodlights on Brixham allowed Taunton a final shout with a late try .
Despite the heavy score the Brixham players never lost their composure or courage.

Saturday 29th November 2008 BRIXHAM 13 NEWTON ABBOT 20
Brixham put in a spirited performance against the All Whites on Saturday but effectively lost the game in the first ten minutes. In the other seventy they created enough chances to have won the game but failed to capitalise on them.
Almost from the kick-off the visitors were in front when Brixham were penalised for offside. Eight minutes later, with Brixham defending, a clearance kick was charged down and Newton collected it to run in under the posts for an easily converted try.
Brixham then began to exert some pressure on Newton which brought two penalties kicked by Ben Lovell to reduce the Newton lead. A third, which would have reduced it to a single point, slid under the crossbar. Brixham continued to attack but Newton turned around 13-6 ahead after converting a penalty with the last kick of the first half.
Brixham opened strongly in the second period - to no avail - before Newton got back into the game. Several minutes of pressure on the Brixham line, and a missed penalty kick, eventually resulted in a forward drive and a try. The conversion gave Newton some breathing space.
Brixham had not given up on the game and returned to the attack and set the scene for an exciting last ten minutes when their forwards drove No 8 Ryan Bradfield over for a try converted by Lovell.
The last ten minutes were not as exciting as they could have been. Newton's forwards starved Brixham of possession and ran the clock down.

Saturday 15th November 2008 CLEVEDON 10 BRIXHAM 17
Brixham fielded a team consisting of 15 former Brixham Colts giving first team debuts to Sam Thomas and Chris Harper. Altogether Brixham made 8 changes to the team which lost to Sidmouth at home the previous Saturday. Not available or injured were Nathan Dallow. Matt Dempsey. Adam Chadwick. Iain Johnson. Mark Harvey. Gareth Williams. Tristan Forster and Tom Winfield. Replacing them were Alex Brown, Mike Slater, Ross Edwards, Jonny Brown, Ewan Campbell, Ryan Bradfield.,Sam Thomas and Chris Harper. In addition Brixham made three positional changes Ben Lovell moved to full back, Dan Grinrod went to wing and Nathan Riley went back to lock.
Brixham lost the toss and kicked off with the wind behind them and opened the scoring in the 25th second when a defensive kick from the start was charged down and wing Anthony Soper was at hand to score his fourth try of the season. No 15 Ben Lovell converted with a great kick to make it 7-0. In the 8th minute Brixham went further ahead when Clevedon were penalised in front of their posts for killing the ball. Lovell converted the penalty to make it 10-0.
Conditions were getting worse by the minute, players couldn’t hold their feet, and the ball was like a piece of lard. Brixham attacked the Clevedon backs and forced them into errors resulting in scrum half Jonny Brown pinching the ball. He raced through the gap to score near the posts to give Lovell a easy conversation 17-0.
In the 8th minute of injury time Brixham were penalised and Soper given a yellow card for killing the ball. No 9 Steve Johnson kicked the goal to make it 17-3 at the break.
With 65 minutes on the clock Brixham made changes. Ewan Campbell came on for Nick Stoneman and was penalised in his first scrum and in the second scrum was further penalised and given a yellow card. It was from this penalty that Clevedon got to the Brixham 5 meter line and drove Brixham back to score a push over try by No 8 Chris Page converted by Johnson to make it 17-10.
Clevedon were having the best of the forward exchanges and drove Brixham back. Brixham defences held and following a breakout Brixham were awarded a penalty some 40 meters out. Lovell kicked the goal. Both touch judges raised their flags only for the referee to disallow the kick, as he believed the ball had gone wide.
With the light fading fast one got the impression that the teams were to stay on the pitch until Clevedon scored again. However after 14 minutes of “injury “ time the referee finally blew for No Side.
The Brixham man of the match was without any doubt Skipper Adam Thomas who had one of his best games for some time.

Saturday 8th November 2008 BRIXHAM 11 SIDMOUTH 15
A third of the way through their League campaign and Brixham are in mid-table. They don’t concede many points but their own scoring record is poor.
On Saturday against Sidmouth, Brixham had the better of the opening exchanges with their pack battering the visitors’. On eight minutes their efforts should have been rewarded with a try but the referee was unsighted and could not award it. A penalty goal kicked by Ben Lovell a minute later gave them the lead but this was soon cancelled out by a Sidmouth penalty.
Another penalty each kept the scores level with half-time approaching. More Brixham pressure took them close before the ball was released for winger Antony Soper to touch down in the corner. Before the break Sidmouth got another penalty to reduce Brixham’s lead to 11-9.
The second half was a dour affair. Sidmouth dominated possession but were rarely able to threaten the Brixham line in the face of resolute defence and Brixham failed to make the most of the little ball they had. Sidmouth took the lead with a penalty goal after fifteen minutes but despite their pressure were unable to add to it.
Late on Brixham rallied and were close to scoring when winger Adam Chadwick was bundled into touch in the corner but Sidmouth cleared their lines.
A Brixham attack in injury time gave Brixham the opportunity to save the game but in the swirling wind Lovell’s penalty kick went just wide. Sidmouth got back into the Brixham half and, having decided that the try line was beyond them, settled for the drop goal that sealed their victory.

Saturday 1st November 2008 PAIGNTON 6 BRIXHAM 12
Brixham ended their losing run on Saturday but the game at a wet and windy Queen's Park on Saturday was not one to enthuse over.
The Fishermen got off to a nightmare start. They were penalised immediately after receiving the kick-off and three points behind in the first minute. Three minutes later they were back on level terms when Ben Lovell slotted a penalty and the game settled down to a fairly dour and error-strewn affair. Midway through the first period the two sides traded penalties - both being caught offside while defending - and the 6 - 6 scoreline at the interval was probably a fair reflection of the play.
In the second period Brixham had the edge territorially but were unable to break the Cherries' defence. Their pressure eventually brought rewards and Lovell successfully converted two out of three penalties to ease Brixham six points ahead with ten minutes on the clock. Paignton roused themselves for a desparate final effort and came close to giving Brixham a nightmare finale - only to see the ball dropped inches short of the line in the last move of the match.

Saturday 25th October 2008 BRIXHAM 11 TORQUAY 16
Astley Park was the scene of a typically robust local derby on Saturday. Brixham suffered another League defeat but might have some cause for complaint about the penalty try which Torquay were awarded.
In the first half Torquay had the advantage of the wind and slope and were clearly looking to establish a good lead. With Brixham struggling in the lineouts they were pinned back for much of the half but Torquay had their own problems conceding penalties. Torquay had two opportunities to take the lead but both penalty goal attemps failed and it was Brixham who drew first blood when Ben Lovell slotted his penalty midway through the half. Torquay levelled the scores late on but a 3-3 scoreline was not what they wanted.
The two sides traded penalties in the opening minutes of the second half before Torquay edged ahead with their third penalty. Brixham were enjoying somewhat more of the play and regained the lead when the ball went from one wing to the other to allow Antony Soper to touch down in the corner for the opening try midway through the half. Torquay's better support play enabled them to launch waves of attack and appeared to have scored when their winger crossed the line. Unfortunately he had already dropped the ball but having been tackled afterwards Torquay were dubiously awarded a penalty try and an easy conversion.
Brixham attacked strongly in the final minutes but were unable to breach the Torquay defence and while they might also have deserved a penalty try it was not to be.

Saturday 11th October 2008 ST MARYS OB 27 BRIXHAM 13

Saturday 18th October 2008 NEWTON ABBOT 15 BRIXHAM 6

Saturday 4th October BRIXHAM 12 ST IVES 6 (Match abandoned after 48 minutes)
When the referee Paul Roberts from Berkshire hobbled off eight minutes into the second half - having twisted his ankle - it condemned the two teams to do it all again as no replacement was available.
Brixham kicked off with the rain-laden wind and slope in their favour and within two minutes had taken the lead. St Ives were caught offside when Brixham attacked and Ben Lovell landed a penalty goal. With ten minutes on the clock Brixham's second foray into the visitors' 22 resulted in a second penalty and doubled their lead. With Brixham keen to build a lead before having to face the elements in the second half - and St Ives equally keen on preventing them - the next ten minutes saw the two sides trading penalties. In the miserable conditions neither side was able to break through the others defence. Late in the half St Ives came close; but had to settle for a penalty goal before Lovell restored Brixhams six point lead with his fourth successful kick.
Brixham probably felt that they had not done enough in the first half and the scene was set for an exciting, if nerve-wracking second half. Eight minutes of play, and with Brixham in an attacking position, was all there was.

Saturday 27th September WALCOT OB 18 BRIXHAM 23
Brixham's first awayday of the season was to Bath and newly promoted Walcot Old Boys. Tries from Paul Lidster and Gareth Williams and conversions and a penalty from Ben Lovell saw the Fishermen into a 17-0 lead. In the second period all the good work was nearly undone when the home side hit back with a three-try burst. These, plus a penalty goal, took them ahead. Late on two kicks by Ben Lovell sorted things out for Brixham; his drop-goal put them back ahead and a penalty goal settled things.

Saturday 20th September BRIXHAM 9 AVONMOUTH OB 25
Astley Park on Saturday was a busy place with all four of the senior sides playing at home. Three wins out of four was a good result but the First XV were disappointing - going down to newly promoted Avonmouth.
In the opening stages of the game Brixham had the edge, slightly, but had little possession and made little of what they had. Brixham took the lead on eight minutes with a Ben Lovell penalty but went behind midway through the first half to an unconverted try. From the restart Brixham were on the attack and a second Lovell penalty got the lead back.
With Brixham having problems at the set-pieces they were forced on to the defensive and Avonmouth ran in two tries exploiting errors in the centre. A third penalty late in the half reduced the margin to 19-9 at the interval.
In the second period Brixham had slightly more of the ball and had their visitors under some pressure but could not create the breaks they needed against a well-organised and committed defence. Two penalty goals for Avonmouth extended their lead and added to the Brixham misery.

Saturday 13th September BRIXHAM 26 YATTON 10
Brixham got their League campaign off to a winning start at Astley Park on Saturday. Resplendent in their new cerise (pink?) change strip they had too much pace for their visitors. While the margin of victory could have been greater it was a satisfactory performance.
From the kick-off the Fishermen had Yatton on the back foot and reward for the early pressure soon came from the boot of Ben Lovell when he landed a penalty goal.
More pressure from Brixham saw their pack drive to within two metres of the tryline and when the ball was recycled fast hands in the backs resulted in full-back Matt Dempsey touching down under the posts. Lovell slotted the conversion.
Brixham continued to press forward but failed to cross the try line and were rewarded for their efforts only by two further penalties from Lovell. As the half-time whistle approached Yatton began to come back into the game and a late penalty goal reduced the Brixham lead to 16-3 at the interval.
In the opening phases of the second period Brixham again had the upper hand and Lovell's fourth penalty extended their lead. Yatton might have been down but they were not yet out of it and play was more evenly balanced for much of the rest of the game. With ten minutes left a scrum in midfield did not seem to be a good attacking platform but a break by flanker Tristan Forster took him through and scrum-half Mark Harvey completed the move by touching down under the posts; Lovell adding the extras.
In the dying minutes a rare lapse in the Brixham defence let Yatton through for a try but it was mission accomplished for the Fishermen.

Sunday 7th September BRIXHAM 36 DEVON PRESIDENTS XV 3
After three warm-up matches away from home Brixham returned to the new changing rooms and refurbished clubhouse. The match was closer than the scoreline might suggest but Brixham made the most of their scoring chances while their defence was solid.
Winger Tim Bumby opened the scoring for Brixham with a try in the right-hand corner in the opening minutes but were then penned back by the Presidents XV for over a quarter of an hour. The only reward the Presidents XV got for their efforts was a penalty goal and Brixham were on the attack from the restart.
They had soon extended their lead after Peter Chart touched down in the same spot as Bumby had earlier. Fifteen minutes of open play and Brixham got their third try when Matt Dempsey chose the same spot to ground the ball. Having missed twice with conversion attempts from the touchline Ben Lovell had got his bearings and was successful at his third attempt to give Brixham a 17-3 interval lead.
Jack Linley-Shaw got Brixham off to a dream start in the second half by finishing off a passing move by scoring a try under the posts - giving Lovell an easy conversion. Ten minutes later the Brixham pack combined to force hooker Dean Avery over the line for his maiden try for the Fishermen.
Brixham had the game won but still had to work hard to keep out the visitors. The victory was secured when Dempsey scored his second try; Ross Edwards' conversion was the last act of the match.