South West One
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SOMETHING had to give at The Mannings with Drybrook, who have lost only once this season, facing an Exeter University side with a straight nine bonus-point wins to its name.
Drybrook struggled to clear a long kick-off and then saw a misdirected box kick return at speed for the opening try, and with the conversion the home side were 0-7 down in three minutes.
But they were back level after 18 minutes with their pick-and-drive game paying dividends for Ashley Howells taking the ball over the line and Tom Treherne adding the conversion.
Exeter hit back and their pressure earned them two penalties to put them six points to the good.
Treherne narrowed the gap to three after the students were penalised for a knock-on in front of the posts and the home side went in trailing 10-13 at the break.
Drybrook got the perfect start when replacement prop Elliot Beattie crashed through after some great driving play and with Treherne again finding his mark, it was the students’ turn to play catch-up.
In a huge quarter of an hour in the game, Exeter stepped up a gear but a massive defensive effort from all 15 men in green saw the visitors’ efforts thwarted.
With the Squirrels taking control in the set pieces and man-of-the-match Will Greenway constantly disrupting the Exeter line-out, Drybrook were setting the pace.
From a turnover at a line-out, the Exeter pack was driven backwards and the ball quickly recycled for captain Ben Large to get a well-deserved try. Treherne then added the points.
With eight minutes left, Exeter took advantage of Tingle’s stint in the sin bin for over-zealousness at the ruck to score a try which reduced the deficit to 24-18.
But when Treherne put over his final penalty for a 100 per cent afternoon following an Exeter player’s departure to the bin, the game was safe.