12 Oct '21

Bideford edge morale-boosting game

Bideford remain a comfortable fourth in the Western Counties table after edging home 29-26 against Kingsbridge. 

Kingsbridge have not enjoyed the best of starts to the season and with six games gone are one off the bottom of the table. 

The South Hams side had Bideford on the back foot for the first 15 minutes and it took some big tackles from Will Copp and Dean Folland to keep them out. 

Bideford scored first through prop Oscar Carter-Burns – Reece Pearn converting to go 7-0 up – but Kingsbridge were soon level. 

Copp went over before half time and the conversion made it 14-7. 

Bideford looked sharper in attack after the break and further tries came along for Peter Bowes and Copp. Pearn converted both and there was a long-shot penalty from player-coach Mark Lee. 

Bideford took all five points from a hard game to win with a performance that had team manager Bradley Goaman in reflective mood. 

“The players deserve a lot of credit for holding on for the victory and winning games grow confidence, which is good for the team,” said Goaman. 

“Having said that Kingsbridge were a decent side and we kept letting them back into the game 

“We did enough to get away from an uncomfortable position in the closing stages of the game, but we have to make sure we close games out better  

“There were a few soft, missed tackles and we can’t keep conceding soft tries.” 

“It was a tight game that could have gone either way, but we dug deep to hold out.” 

Coop captained the side from the back row in the injury absence of Alex Priest and earned a pat on the back from Goaman. 

“Will creates so many opportunities for us – and himself – and was outstanding all game,” said Goaman. 

“Young hooker Zack Powell also played well.” 

Bideford have no game this weekend. They are next in action against Newton Abbot on October 23.  

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