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Bridgwater & Albion 34, Ivybridge 28

FULL-back James Martin bagged a brace of tries as Bridgwater & Albion defeated Ivybridge 34-28 in an entertaining encounter on Saturday, writes Tony Pomeroy.

Stuart Heal, Joe Bussell, Ollie Dunn and Nick Spellissy also crossed for Albion, as they recorded yet another bonus-point victory.

The visitors were much the livelier in the opening stages and they quickly took the lead through a Matt Grieveson penalty followed by an unconverted try for centre Lewis Paterson.

From the kick off, Bridgwater attacked and patient recycling saw the ball in the hands of skipper, Ollie Dunn, who crashed over near the posts - Stu Heal converted.

The visitors increased their lead when full back, Tim Scoles ran a loose Bridgwater kick back at them, re-gathered his own chip ahead and a quick pass put hooker Jay Geraty in for a try in the corner converted superbly by Grieveson, who also added a penalty.

Almost immediately a very loose Bridgwater pass was intercepted on half way by Billy Pinkus who cruised 50 metres for an unconverted try.

Bridgwater then lost centre Chris Ashwin and skipper Dunn to the bin in separate incidents and for about eight minutes were down to thirteen men.

The losses seemed to inspire Bridgwater who got close to scoring following a great move between Nick Spellissy, Taylor Buller and Joe Bussell.

The visitors could not add to their tally before the interval to leave the score at 7-23.

The home side tore out of the blocks in the second half and scored a short-handed try, courtesy of Martin, who took it some 35 metres out and scythed through for a try at the posts, converted by Heal.

Bridgwater crossed the line but could not ground the ball and from the resulting scrum, Spellissy drove over for an unconverted try.

It was then the visitors' turn for a short-handed try when Scoles finished off a good move with an unconverted try.

Further Bridgwater pressure saw the home side take the lead when a driving maul drive saw Bussell gain the touchdown. Heal's conversion from the touchline hit the post.

From the kick off came a contender for try of the season - Bridgwater drove forward on gathering the ball and it reached Martin, just inside his own half and near the left hand touch line.

Somehow he wriggled out of a couple of intended tackles and found himself in the clear.

He tore to the line and scored his second try of the day, this time unconverted.

Inside the final few minutes, Paterson was sin-binned and Bridgwater attacked again.

Once more the ball was held up over the line - and once more from the scrum, Spellissy again broke right and then the ball was switched left where Heal scored the sixth Bridgwater try to seal a fourth consecutive victory. 

Bridgwater & Albion

Tries: Martin (2), Heal, Bussell, Dunn, Spellissy

Cons: Heal (2)

Ivybridge

Tries: Scoles, Paterson, Geraty, Pinkus

Con: Grieveson Pens: Grieveson (2)

Bridgwater Team: James Martin, Nick Francis (rep Jervis Manupenu 13), Garryn Basson, Chris Ashwin, Oscar Tregenna, Stu Heal, Roger Drabble, James Bryant, Matt Hastie, Joe Bussell, Ali Blundell, Taylor Buller, George Sluman, Ollie Dunn (Capt), Nick Spellissy.

Reps not used: Adrian Tew, Dave Norman.

Referee: Michael Gallagher (Buckinghamshire)