ROYAL WIN AT DEVONPORT
The first outing of the season for the Royal Marines saw them gain victory over a very determined Plymouth Command at Devonport Services on Wed night. This was supposed to be a home fixture for the Royals but at the request of Plymouth they changed location and KO time to allow Plymouth a chance to field a team.
The Corps team made up of a mixture of new and seasoned players took time to gel together. This was to be expected as the squad, due to most units being involved in Pre-Deployment Training or returning from Operations, had only got together that morning. However, the old heads of Tom Evans-Jones, Gaz Evans, ‘Scouse' Anderson and ‘Bomber' Mills led the newly capped players to a well deserved victory over the Plymouth Command who had already played 3 warm-up games.
The Guz boys were the first on the score sheet as they converted a penalty 0-3, this was answered almost immediately by the Marines' fullback Guy Glastonbury to make the score 3-3. The Plymouth Comd team pressured the Corps but failed to add to their score and as the half time approached, it was the Corps through Gaz Evans who provided the first unconverted try of the game 8-3 HT.
The Corps started the second half much better following another penalty, which Fly Half Toby Hancock drove into the Plymouth Command 5m. Yet again the Corps Lineout worked well and Navy and CS U23 Lock Den Scotthorne provided an excellent platform from which Gaz Evans scored his 2nd try (13-3).
As the replacements started to take effect and the Corps side imposed a period of pressure which gave them an overlap on the left, some slick passing between the backs gave Tom Pike an almost walk-in try, converted by Guy Glastonbury (20-3).
This could have sealed the game for the Marines but Plymouth Comd battled hard and following sustained period of pressure on the Corps line gained a penalty in front of the posts (20-6).
The Corps team was not finished, as yet again Den Scotthorne provided the possession for another Corps try, converted (27-6). In the final minute of the game Plymouth Comd got their just rewards, scoring a try to make the final score 27-11.
The Royal Marines next game is against the Medics in a Charity game on the 2 Nov at Plymouth Albion RFC, KO 1900.