WIVELISCOMBE beat Newton Abbot 42-0 at home to secure their sixth victory of the season and to remain top of the Western Counties West League, writes Roger Bellamy.

Wiveliscombe have had a good start to the 2025/26 season with coaches Mark Chatterton and Rob Weaver building on the team’s increasing confidence and skill levels.

Newton Abbot, Wiveliscombe’s opponents in this match, have also had a decent start to the season and there was little to choose between the two sides in the first half. A solitary try from Wivey’s left winger Thomas Lally and three penalties from flyhalf Dan Quick gave Wiveliscombe the lead at half time but the home team would go on to gain a comfortable victory as the visitors tired.

Pitch conditions deteriorated as the game progressed and Wiveliscombe increased the pressure on a tiring Newton Abbot team whose penalty count began to increase. Wiveliscombe used their backs to good effect, running the ball to wide areas of the pitch less affected by the weather to score three more tries.

Centre Will Thorne used his pace to breach the visitors defence as did scrum half Richard Baker to score near the post. Winger Tom Lally added his second try of the game to complete the home team’s try count. Dan Quick added three more second half penalties to go with his three in the first half and added two conversions.

Wiveliscombe’s second team had a tough afternoon away to their Chard counterparts who are in a mid table position in Counties Three Somerset South, eventually going down 43-5 to the South Somerset outfit. Defeat has left the Seconds in tenth position in the table.

Fixtures, Nov 29 - Wiveliscombe 1st XV v Paignton 1st XV (home) League; Wiveliscombe 2nds v Crewkerne (away) League.