Youth rugby round-up.

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BARNSTAPLE U11s defeated South Molton 15-5 in a close-fought derby date.

An early break involving Lúi Kemp, Connor Swan and Reid Williams finished with Jamie Mclagan going in for a try to put Barnstaple ahead.

Another good run, this time by Alex Harrison, started a move which ended in Troy Elworthy taking a scoring pass off Max Beard to make it 10-0.

Williams and Kemp both went close before half time, but there was no further scoring.

South Molton threw everything they had at Barum after the break and it needed some stiff tackling to keep them out. Eventually, the visitors pulled a try back.

Barnstaple needed a try to seal the game and got it when man-of-the-match McLagan scored again after good work under the high ball by Josh Richards.

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ASHLEE Crouch scored a ‘wonder try’ as Barnstaple Colts defeated Kingsbridge 24-0.

Tony Sumners, the team coach, said he had never seen anything like it in 23 years as a player or coach.

Crouch took the ball near his own 22 and managed to crunch his way through the Kingsbridge defensive line, then side-stepped another player to reach the half way line.

He kept going to beat the full back and was still going with some defenders coming at him when he handed them off and put in another side step to score.

“ It was the best try I have ever seen scored by a prop forward in 18 seasons of playing and five as a coach,” said Sumners.

“Ashlee would not have been able to do that at the start of the season but through his dedication to training he has developed tremendously.”

Barnstaple were ahead from the 14th minute when Ollie Sanders drove over from a line-out.

When Kingsbridge were stretched wide, Barum’s Charlie Bishop exploited the gap and scored.

Calum Sumners converted Crouch’s stunning second half solo try, and another by Lee Casinelli.

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BIDEFORD Nomads returned to action with a 42-7 win over Exeter Saracens IIs.

The scoreline was an amazing turnaround from the 93-0 hammering the Nomads suffered in the away fixture earlier in the season.

The opening exchanges were even after an early penalty from Richard Weston but on 20 minutes Nomads winger Troy Hicks touched down in the corner.

James Charles scored in the opposite corner after breaking through from 40 metres and Weston added another penalty to increase the lead to 16-0 at the break.

In the final quarter Bideford upped the tempo, initially getting the better of the Saracens’ forwards and allowing their backs to run in four more tries in a blazing finish.

Weston scored the first of those and added the extras before flying wing Darryl Peacock touched down and man-of-the-match Lee Faux added the final brace.

Weston added two conversions.

Mark Westcott led the Nomads back line with aplomb, Charles tackled like a demon and forwards Jake McLean, Jamie Evans, Steve Moore and birthday boy Simon Norman, enjoying his final game before retirement, were the pick of the forwards.