Teams 
Score: Bideford 32 – 27 Withycombe
Try’s: Folland, Short, Bone (2), Evans-Pearce, Olde
Conversion: Harris
Bideford claimed a thrilling victory on Saturday as captain Nick Bone crossed late to seal a tight 32–27 win against a determined Withycombe side.
The home team were full of confidence after welcoming back several players from Australia and adding three new Aussie recruits, all of whom made the starting lineup. Withy clearly meant business , and they showed it from the start.
Early Exchanges
The game opened nervously for the hosts. Within minutes, Bideford nearly went ahead after the ball spilled from a ruck, allowing Nick Bone to channel his inner Maradona with a deft kick upfield. Partnered by Billy Cockwill (in a more Rooney-esque role), the move almost came off, but the final bounce didn’t fall their way.
Bideford struck first through Dean Folland, returning from injury. After sustained pressure on the Withycombe line, he powered over from close range, with Mitch Harris converting for 7–0.
Withycombe responded strongly, spreading the ball wide after a clever cross-field kick to score in the corner. Bideford’s pack, however, began to assert themselves, and Ben Short powered over from a well-worked catch-and-drive to narrow the gap to 17–12. A Withycombe penalty restored their lead at 20–17 heading into half-time.
Second-Half Fightback
An early injury to Liam Balsdon saw young Sam Bola, a colt and Devon representative, make his senior debut at flanker, and he didn’t disappoint. His work rate and physicality stood out throughout.
Halftime gave the coaches a chance to regroup, and Bideford came out with renewed intent. Charlie Stevenson continued to cause havoc despite the slippery surface, while Kai Pett created the spark for Bideford’s next try, hitting a great line to draw in defenders before releasing Folland, who linked with Stevenson out wide. A slick passing move finished with Sam Olde diving over in the corner for what was arguably the try of the match.
Moments later, Nick Bone finished a flowing move from a Folland break to score under the posts, putting Bideford 22–20 ahead.
Late Drama
With debutant Amos Waters entering the fray at centre, Bideford looked to close the game out, but a charged-down clearance allowed Withycombe to pounce and regain the lead at 27–22. Time was running short, but the Chiefs weren’t done yet.
A well-earned penalty gave Bideford territory, and from the ensuing maul, Dave Evans-Pearce spotted a gap, peeling off and sprinting in from the 22 to level the scores at 27–27.
As the clock ticked down, many thought a draw would be a fair result, but not this Bideford side. A superb defensive turnover from Evans-Pearce set up captain Nick Bone, who stormed through for his second try and the match-winner. Final score: Bideford 32 – 27 Withycombe. One thing is for sure all the teams in the league will need to be at their best to get a result at Withycombe this year.
Looking Ahead
It was a pulsating contest and a fantastic team effort from the Bideford Chiefs, who now head into a rest week before their next home clash against South Molton, a side enjoying an impressive run of form this season.
Bideford Colts 27 – 7 Minehead
Minehead visited King George V fields on a wet and gloomy afternoon. Despite having just 14 players and an u16 playing up they pushed a strong Bideford Colts development XV. The game was segmented into thirds to allow coaches to make adjustments. In the first third it was 14v14 with a combative edge. Biddy took the lead almost instantly from kick off with a dominate run from centre Charlie Ackland. This perhaps gave Bideford a false sense of security as Minehead fought back hard. The Minehead 10 kicked some great field positions.
Bideford managed to dig in realising that this was not in anyway going to be a walk in the park. Two further tries from Charlie Corner ( second row) and another from Ackland secured the first half for the Cherry and whites. Minehead did respond from a clearance kick charge down to bring the score to 17 -7 at the break.
The second third a loan of Dexter De Wreede to the black and white of Minehead. Dexter working well with his temporary team on the wing and making several tackles.
The rain picked up and the quality of handling diminished. A yellow card for player misconduct saw Bideford reduced to 14 for 10 mins. Bideford made several breaks through the centre from Freddie Allebone-Parish.
Jayden Waring stood out for aggressive and dominant tackles from the wing and mention has to be made of loose head prop Archie Tetley tiptoeing his way down the touchline and linking well in passing.
The last score came from
6’5 Aussie Jack ‘ Dundee’ who is on a school exchange to Shebbear College from Canberra Grammar School.
Jack took the ball at close quarter and there was no stopping this 120kg ‘boy mountain’ at that distance !
What an international debut for him!
The game was closed out at 24-7. Huge respect to Minehead and we look forward to a return visit in the New Year.
Jayden was crowned Man of the Match. Congrats to the Colts and we look forward to league action return next week.
Under 16s Battle to a Hard-Fought 24–12 Win at South Molton
Final Score: Bideford U16s 24 – 12 South Molton
Try’s: George Morris, Oscar Williams, Seb Cackett (2)
Conversions: Alfie Fisher (2)
After three weeks without a game, Bideford U16s returned to action with a strong 24–12 away win over a tough and disciplined South Molton side. Despite some visible rust and a few players missing, the boys dug deep to earn a deserved victory.
A Tough Start Against Strong Opposition
South Molton started the brighter of the two teams, making the most of the slope and dominating the ruck area. Bideford, however, showed real resilience in defence, soaking up pressure and looking to hit back once they gained territory.
George Morris was lively throughout and opened Bideford’s account with a well-timed support line and a powerful finish up the hill. South Molton responded with a try of their own, but before the break Oscar Williams and Seb Cackett both crossed the line to give Bideford a 17–7 half-time lead.
Second-Half Grit and Determination
With injuries starting to mount, Bideford were forced into a few reshuffles in the second half. South Molton continued to challenge hard at the breakdown, and Bideford were guilty of making life difficult for themselves, taking quick tap penalties instead of kicking to the corner, missing touch, and running the wrong lines in attack.
As a result, South Molton enjoyed more possession than the visitors would have liked and earned a second try to close the gap.
However, it was the Booth–Cackett combination that sealed the result. A trademark move from the pair saw Finn Booth create the opening for Cackett to burst through the defensive line and claim his second try of the game, putting the result beyond doubt at 24–12.
Plenty to Build On
There were plenty of positives to take from the match, but also a few areas that will need tightening up ahead of the upcoming Fisherman’s Cup clash with Sidmouth. Coaches will no doubt have some constructive conversations during the week as the squad looks to keep improving.
Highlight of the Day: The lineout work from Henry Skelding and Henry Davis was exceptional, with both dominating in the air.
Player of the Match: Henry Skelding narrowly edged out Davis for his all-round performance, strong tackling, tireless work at the rucks, and real presence around the park.
Match Report: Bideford U14s vs South Molton U14s
On a wet Sunday morning, Bideford U14s travelled to South Molton in what was expected to be a tough encounter. South Molton arrived with a squad full of big, physical players who tackled hard and competed fiercely at the breakdown. But from the first whistle, it was clear that Bideford’s structure, teamwork, and skill were going to set them apart.
Bideford’s forwards set the tone early, running strong pod formations that drew in South Molton’s defenders and created gaps out wide. The precision and timing of the passing improved during the game, with the ball moved quickly through the hands to exploit space on the edges. This smart, disciplined play resulted in a flurry of outstanding team tries, each one a product of support running, communication, and trust.
Despite the physical challenge, Bideford’s defence was equally impressive. Every player committed to the tackle line, shutting down South Molton’s runners and turning defence into attack with quick transitions.
By full-time, Bideford had racked up an emphatic 46–0 victory—a scoreline that reflected not just dominance, but unity and discipline across the park. Coaches and parents from South Molton were full of praise, describing Bideford as a “well-drilled, cohesive side” that played with style and intelligence.
This was a real team performance from Bideford U14s, every player contributing, every pass with purpose, and every try celebrated together. A statement win and a sign of a side growing stronger each week. Special shout out to Alfie and Henry for stepping up an age group to help us out due to us struggling on numbers. Alfie has been training with us since last year and they both played and slotted in brilliantly with Alfie scoring a great try.
