TEIGNBRIDGE Trojans entertained Exeter Ravens at Bitton Park, Teignmouth on Saturday.
Trojans had lost the first three games of the season while struggling with injuries. Exeter won their first two games, including beating the Trojans 74-24 in June.
Trojans started brighter in this one, with tries from Ryan Lee (2), Joe Bramley, Ross Fletcher, and Ollie Williamson and Lewis Short kicking two conversions. Ravens hit back with two tries to make it 24-10 at half-time.
Trojans pulled away in the second half with a hat-trick try for Lee, before Ross Fletcher got his second, Nigel East got on the scoresheet and Lee scored his fourth try.
Short, named man of the match, scored the final try, beating the defenders with a great dummy. He also added two conversions to make it a 48-10 final score.
Player-coach Joe Bramley said: ‘It was such a fantastic performance, a culmination of weeks of hard work at training.
‘It’s difficult to keep motivated when we’re on the wrong side of the score each week, but we’ve stuck at it.
‘We’ve been competitive for 60 minutes every week, often leading games, and then a lack of numbers on the bench has let us down.
‘It’s brilliant to have availability that has allowed us to compete for the full 80 minutes, and a credit to the team to not concede in the second half.
‘The boys have never given up this season and always work for each other, they deserve this. They’re a pleasure to coach and captain.’
The Trojans are in action again this Saturday [July 16], away in South Molton to the unbeaten Tarka Storm.
They then finish their season with a home game the following week [July 23] against the Saltash Essayons at Teignmouth RFC – where they are also hosting a free junior rugby session for children aged 9-14 before the game.