East Devon Eagles lifted the silverware in the Rugby League Conference South West Grand Final in a nail biting game against Devon Sharks with an excellent display of rugby by the South West’s 2 top teams and until the end, the game could have gone either way.

 

Eagles travelled to the neutral ground at Tiverton RFC  with 16 players, several who had to play out of position due to unavailability and injury, but their determination saw them adapt and rise to the occasion to be crowned South West Regional winners 2010.

 

Eagles were first on the scoresheet early on following good pressure resulting in a touchline run for James Holman who scored an unconverted try wide out but Sharks Russell Morris scored 2 tries under the posts converted by Matt Jackson to put them in front. 

 

Tit for tat scoring continued throughout the half which saw the lead changing hands several times. 

18 minutes in, Eagles Jack Westlake made the hard yards then offloaded to Paul Morgan who had Rich Cadywould in support.  He received the ball, played 2 dummies and then switched the ball on the Captain Mark Wathes who touched down under the posts, Cadywould converting.

 

5 minutes on and a pass from Westlake out to Holman on halfway saw him make a solo touchline run to go over, Cadywould adding the extras.

 

On the half hour, a Sharks interception saw Chris Dorling score under the posts, Jackson converting and just before half time, when Player/coach Tony Emmins was held up just short of the line, the ball went out to Wathes who dived over by the corner flag, again Cadywould converting.

 

With 2 minutes left on the clock, Sharks scored an unconverted try to level the score to 22-22, but a well struck drop goal from Cadywould gave the Eagles a slender 1 point lead at the break.

 

From the re-start, Sharks James Hill went over by the posts, Jackson converting but a clash of heads at the tryline meant a trip to hospital for Hill, who needed 7 stitches.

 

Sharks were now 1 point ahead.  Tension was mounting.  Eagles wanted to win with a passion and 3 more tries put them 37 – 28 ahead on the half hour.  Darren Bowden passed along to Cadywould and then on to Westlake who grounded the ball by the corner flag and when Richie Guy was held up it was full back Morgan who was on hand to cross the line in the corner, but both difficult conversions failed.  A break upfield by Wathes was thwarted but this gave Emmins the opportunity to crash over the line under the posts, Cadywould kicking the goal.

 

With the clock ticking down, the last score of the day went to Sharks Dan Gaffney but when referee Darren Hayes blew for time, it was a jubilant Eagles side who took the trophy with a scoreline Eagles 37 Sharks 32.

 

Eagles tries:  Holman (2) Wathes (2) Westlake, Morgan, Emmins
Conversions:  Cadywould (4)            Drop goal:  Cadywould

 

Eagles squad:  Paul Morgan, Nathan Budd, Tony Emmins, Jack Westlake, James Holman, Mark Wathes, Rich Cadywould, Dave Wellbeloved, Richie Guy, Paul Flower, Ty Tuckett, Martin Westaway, Mike Wilson, Darren Bowden, Andy Lendon, Nick Smith