This was clearly going to be Teignmouth’s biggest test of the season so far, and they came within an ace of passing it with flying colour.

Newent came to Bitton Park with a fine record of five wins from six matches, and look to be early-season favourites for a place in the end-of-season promotion play-offs.

In the middle third of the game it was clear why, as they managed to run in six unanswered tries and threatened to run up a cricket score.

However, the home side started brightly with an excellent weaving run from Faolan Lidstone to score his first try of the season, and finished it explosively with three tries in 15 minutes as the Gloucestershire side took their foot off the gas.

With three minutes remaining, and with the visitors leading by six, it looked like the home side might just sneak a famous victory.

Sadly for the large home crowd it was Newent who popped over a late penalty to banish such thoughts and leave the Teigns rueing a lost bonus point.

Following Lidstone’s early score, Newent began to exert plenty of pressure and were rewarded with tries from Fred Nottingham, James Dean and Brett Gardner and a couple of Tom Webb conversions.

Teignmouth’s only replies came from two Lidstone penalties and the sides turned round with Newent leading 19-11.

By the half-way mark of the second half Newent seemed to be over the hills and far away as Will Mansfield, Toby Hill and Andrew Smith ran in three more tries. But Teignmouth were far from finished as Henry Raby, Lidstone and Steve List gave them hope in the last quarter-of-an-hour.

Webb’s injury time penalty meant that the Teigns were reduced from two bonus points to one, which goes to show how unjust sport can be at times.

Full report in Friday’s Teignmouth Post