On the eve of this game, Newton Abbot coach Phil Burford asked his team for something special.
Aware that they had taken their eye off the ball against Sidmouth two weeks previous, it was vital that the All Whites performed. He need not have worried as his side responded with a resounding and emphatic performance.
Although the visitors came to make a game of it, the truth is they were never in it.
It was fairly even only for the first five minutes, before the Clevedon forwards were adjudged to have attacked a ruck illegally, giving new boy Andy Birkett the opportunity to kick the penalty to give the All Whites a 3-0 lead.
Clevedon's young side did try and take on the home side, trying plenty of mazy running from deep, but they just never looked like breaching the defensive line.
The All Whites intercepted a wayward pass from Clevedon fly half Ashley Vailes, Alex Moore feeding quickly to Jason Keenan who sent full back Viskoper clear for a try under the posts. Birkett kicked the conversion, before adding a penalty two minutes later to make the score 13-0.
All Whites, sporting a light-weight pack, competed well at the scrum, with Rowntree looking comfortable at number eight. In fact the back row trio of Rowntree, Huntley and Keenan were fairly rampant all afternoon.
Huntley turned over Clevedon possession which resulted in the ball being moved by scrum half Cane out to Boles who popped the ball on the reverse pass to Moore who scythed his way through the defence for a fine unconverted try.
Soon after, a powerful driving maul from the All Whites, saw Huntley sniff out the ball at the back to make the score 23-0.
Clevedon, looking ragged and punch drunk, did manage to rally for a few minutes, setting up a couple of phases but not really penetrating the formidable All White defence.
A long looping pass by the visiting scrum half was intercepted. Birkett moved it wide using a miss pass to find Moore, who broke through the defence and found the inevitable Huntley on his outside, unselfishly putting him away for another score, but again the angle was too acute for Birkett to kick the extras.
Within seconds of the re-start Nick Holt had gathered and quickly kicked over the defence to set up a chase between two Clevedon defenders and messrs Holt and Viskoper. A fly hack by Viskoper bounced on towards the visitors' line, and up popped outside centre Boles to gather up the ball and race home under the posts for an opportunist try and the first of his brace. This time Birkett converted before referee Keeling blew for half-time.
The second half began with Clevedon making a fist of it, determined to keep the score down. They put together their best phases of the game. They probed and tried to make headway, but there was just no way through the solid and well marshalled home defence.
Rowntree then snaffled the ball at a ruck and the All Whites cut loose. Cane fed Neil Johns on the left wing who jinked his way through the visiting side's defence to score under the posts, Birkett's conversion made the score 42-0.
Coach Burford made a couple of changes, giving Moore a well earned rest and bringing on Joe Burford, who moved to centre. Jon Bourne came on for the impressive youngster Ian Milton at second row, and his presence only increased the All Whites' superiority at the line-out.
Within five minutes of the changes, Viskoper instigated a break out, to score probably the try of the season so far. The ball went through five pairs of hands – Viskoper, Rowntree, Keenan, Holt and Johns – before Bourne took the final pass and plunged over the line, converted by Burford.
Almost from the restart the All Whites broke through, Johns racing up the touchline feeding inside to Huntley, who powered away 30 yards out for his fourth try of the day. Burford converted it to make the score 63-0.
With 12 minutes to go the All Whites could be forgiven for taking their foot off the pedal, instead they upped the pace again, this time the provider was Birkett who angled a clever cross kick into the corner. Boles was alert to it and gathered the ball two metres out and darted over in the corner for a well deserved try.
Mabin and the ever impressive Holt both got on the scoresheet in the last five minutes, to make the final score 75-0.
Coaches Burford and Trevor Harris were both satisfied with the performance.
'This side is beginning to gel. They possess a ruthlessness needed at this level if you are to be successful,' said Burford.
The All Whites will need all their wits about them over the next two weekends, starting tomorrow away at second placed Avonmouth Old Boys, kick-off 2.30pm.




