East Devon Eagles continued their winning ways with an 18 try rout over Somerset Vikings in front of their loyal supporters who enjoyed a fast and furious exhibition of running rugby.

 

Unveiling their new playing kit in fuchsia and black, the Eagles are supporting the Breast Cancer Charity.

 

Eagles were on the scoresheet virtually from the kick off when Matt Ryan, on his debut, made a solo run for the line to touchdown in the far corner, Rich Cadywould converting followed by a Lawrence Giles try under the posts, again Cadywould converting.

 

Vikings only try of the game came on 15 minutes when Chris Richards touched down but the conversion missed.

 

5 minutes later, Dave McCarthy, Cadywould and Tony Emmins set up Jonny Boltrukiewicz for him to power over the line for a try, Cadywould adding the extras, quickly followed by Dale Sleeman scoring under the posts, the first of his 4 tries of the afternoon.  In the remaining 10 minutes of the half, Eagles scored 3 more converted tries.  Mark Wathes touched the ball down wide out, Sean Lovett made the break and passed the ball on to Sleeman who scored under the posts and from the re-start, a slick pass from Jack Downie to Cadywould saw him go over the line under the sticks, kicking his own conversion, giving a half time score Eagles 42 Vikings 4.

 

Eagles started the second half with a try from Captain Dave McCarthy but the conversion was blown wide.  8 minutes in, Emmins picked up loose ball, passed across to Cadywould and a slick pass on to Downie saw the Eagles reach the half century – Cadywould adding the extras.

 

A long pass out wide from Cadywould to Ryan saw another converted try and 2 minutes later, Downie made a break and after a 10 metre dash, he offloaded to Sleeman for his 3rd try.

Cadywould, on a superb solo run from halfway, was tackled but passed the ball out to Ryan and Paul Flower was on hand to receive the ball and crash over the line.

  

On 20 minutes a weaving touchline run by Ryan outwitted the Vikings defence and his hat trick converted try saw the Eagles now on 76 points.  From the restart Wathes took the ball on and another solo run from halfway, sidestepping the opposition, left him a clear path to dot down the ball under the posts.

 

Jack Westlake scored 2 tries in the next 4 minutes but one conversion hit the uprights and in the closing 10 minutes of the game, the Eagles scored over the century with a Downie converted try and Sleeman’s 4th try of the game, giving the Eagles a 102 – 4 victory on the final whistle.

 

Man of Steel went to Mark Wathes for his decision making, narrowly ahead of Matt Ryan.

After the game, player coach Tony Emmins and captain Dave McCarthy were presented with engraved glass tankards for their outstanding contribution to the Eagles and the game of rugby league.

 

Eagles Squad:  Garry Hooper, Jascha Saeck, Shaun Lovett, Jon Bird, Matt Ryan, Rich Cadywould, Mark Wathes, Jonny Boltrukiewicz,  Dave McCarthy, Paul Flower, Dale Sleeman, Lawrence Giles, Tony Emmins, Andy Melbourne, Darren Bowden, Frederic Marty, Jack Westlake, Paul Morgan, Jack Downie, Olly Turton.

 

Tries:  Sleeman 4, Ryan 3, Downie 2, Westlake 2, Wathes 2, Giles, Boltrukiewicz, McCarthy, Flower, Cadywould

 

Vikings Squad:  John Ferguson, John Clay, Simon Wright-Hyder, Paul Clark, Chris Hurley, Chris Richards, Mark Lees, Joe Bussell, Mike Prestedge, Chris warner, Chris Hodge, Tom Claydon, Luke Brown, Andrew Mason, Andy Robinson, Jamie Grant, Richard Hodge, Tom Knell, Jason Wood.

 

Tries:  Richards