Sam Conway scores for Exmouth Under16 against Crediton

Exmouth 22, Exeter Chiefs 29

The Cockles Under-16s went into their final game of the season looking for a victory that would have sealed a third placed finish.

With a number of regular players unavailable the Club’s Under-15s were summoned to help out.

The game started at a frantic pace with both sides looking to attack every time they got into possessions. The Chiefs struck first with a try, but the Cockles response was swift and clinical as Brad Cooke scored from a set move 5-metres out and Flinn converted to make it 7-5.

The Cockles increased their lead when, from a scrum, number eight Matt Harris picked up, drew the defence, and off-loaded to scrum-half Sam Conway who went over for an unconverted try.

With the forwards, Jevon Burns, Harry Griffin and Dan Bradford-Jones, dominating up front, the Chiefs opted to play with well spread ball fro the back and they broke through the Cockles defence to level things up at 12-12.

Just on the stroke of half-time another scrum on the Chiefs 5-metre line, lead again to Matt Harris picking the ball up, driving forward, and delivering a great off-load to Sam Conway to burrow his way under the would-be tacklers for his second try to send the Cockles into the break with a 17-12 lead.

The Chiefs started brightly in the second half and an early converted nudged them into a 19-17 lead.

The usually stubborn Cockles defence was then guilty of some missed tackles as the Chiefs struck again, the try was converted and the score moved to 26-17 in favour of the visitors.

The home side dug deep and the impressive Chris Skinner, at full-back, made some fine runs deep into Chiefs territory. However, a successful penalty saw the Chiefs into a 29-17 lead and, although Conway crossed for a late try – his hat-trick score, there was insufficient time left for the Cockles and they slipped to a 29-22 defeat.