Barum back on the winning trail after shock defeat

It was far from perfect for Barnstaple RFC but following the surprise loss to bottom club Ivybridge, a 36-14 win over Marlborough in the Regional 1 Tribute SW Division was a case of the result meaning far more than anything else.

Marlborough are also sat in the bottom three but, like the Ivies, they battled bravely and put some late points on the scoreboard as a reward for their efforts.

Perhaps understandably, Barum were in ruthless mood in the early exchanges, quickly banishing the Ivybridge memories with scores from James Fraser and Callum Morgan.

The lead was extended to 17-0 by Brandon Moore before Morgan grabbed his second, converted by Jake Murphy, who then slotted the extras from a Ryan Lee try. Marlborough took advantage of some Barnstaple complacency to grab a couple of scores but Barum had the final word with a try from Johnny Carter.

The result leaves Barum just two points behind leaders Brixham, with Launceston (third) and Exmouth (fourth) also well in contention. It is a huge game this weekend for Barnstaple, as they welcome Launceston to Pottington Road.

While the 2024/25 season has been a lot more difficult for Bideford Chiefs, there have been signs of improvement in recent weeks. The Chiefs recorded their first win with a 29-0 walloping of Tavistock just before Christmas and followed that with a one-point triumph at Bude.

Penryn were the visitors this weekend and Bideford were again highly competitive, but sadly suffered a Bude-type reverse, losing by a solitary point, 12-13. Despite this setback, momentum is definitely growing at the club, with Kingsbridge the visitors this weekend.

Torrington matched leaders Crediton 3rds for an hour in a pulsating Devon Merit Table NE Division clash before eventually running out of a steam to lose the game 48-14, a score that definitely did not reflect the overall pattern of the game.

In the same division, Barnstaple Buccaneers edged a tight North Devon derby 3-10 at Ilfracombe. The Buccaneers remain in second and Ilfracombe third, but Crediton hold a healthy lead at the top.

South Molton enjoyed a highly entertaining 40-32 success at home to Plymouth Argaum in the Counties 2 Tribute Devon SW Division, and a vital win to help the North Devon club edge clear of the bottom club. It is another big game this weekend, when South Molton travel to Dartmouth, another side locked in the bottom four.