By David Sillifant at Cross-in-Hand

REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST (SATURDAY)

Ivybridge 15 Launceston 49

OLLIE Bebbington scored a hat-trick as an emphatic first half performance gave Launceston a comfortable victory in South Devon.

Despite falling behind to an early Giles Clarke penalty, tries from Tom Bottoms, Charlie Short, Zerran Hammond followed by Bebbington’s brace gave them an emphatic 35-3 half-time lead which the hosts never recovered from despite a second half improvement.

Launceston made three changes from the side beaten by Exmouth a week earlier as Short, Martin and debutant winger Cohen Larson came into the side for Alex Bartlett and the unavailable Ben Bryant and injured Jose Luis Juarez, while on the bench were new recruits Seb Cox and Tom Anderton who both came on.

The home side started well on their 3G pitch, as a superb covering tackle from Cam Fogden denied Clarke, but on five minutes they were ahead via a penalty from in front of the posts.

Launceston responded well and saw a driving maul held up over the line, but on 13 minutes they were level.

The ever-dangerous Fogden ran across the 22 and as he drew the final two defenders, he passed to lock Tom Bottoms who went the final ten metres.

Scrum-half George Hillson nailed a fine conversion, the first of seven successful efforts.

Bebbington knocked on in the 22 when well placed, but on 21 minutes Launceston were given a hand when home hooker Henry Trudgill was sin-binned for lifting and dumping Mitch Hawken.

Hillson was held up over the line and the referee adjudged the impressive Dan Goldsmith to have been a split second late in grounding the ball after scrum-half James Cantin tried to clear his lines, but on 26 minutes they were over again as the powerful Short burrowed over from close range.

Just after the half hour the hosts lost fly-half Henry Burke to the bin, and they were made to pay as Launceston took charge.

First,on 32 minutes, a fine switch move from a lineout saw number eight Brandon Rowley play in winger Zerran Hammond who ran in from 30 metres.

It was then the turn of Bebbington, who had already scored six tries this term, to get in on the act.

On 37 minutes he showed some fine feet to get around a couple of defenders to score, and then did likewise three minutes later.Short went on another run which ended within reach of the line, and the ball was quickly worked out left for Bebbington to do the rest.

Launceston thought they had a sixth try just three minutes after the break when Larson appeared to have beaten two defenders on the left wing to score, but the home touch judge adjudged him to have put his foot on the line.

From there on, Ivybridge worked their way back into the game, helped by a couple of superb 50/22s.

They scored twice in four minutes (49 and 53) through prop Chey Bryce and Trudgill, but from there on the contest became scrappy.

However Launceston did rally to give the scoreline a fairer reflection.

Bebbington made it nine tries in four games just before the end, and there was still time for outside-centre Billy Martin to dive over from close range.

LAUNCESTON: Ollie Bebbington, Zerran Hammond, Billy Martin, Cam Fogden, Cohen Larson, Tom Sandercock (capt), George Hillson; Mitch Hawken, Levent Bulut, Charlie Short, Dan Goldsmith, Tom Bottoms, Dom Ellery, Lloyd Duke, Brandon Rowley. Replacements: Alex Bartlett, Seb Cox, Tom Anderton.

Tries: Bottoms, Short, Hammond, Bebbington (3), Martin; Convs: Hillson (7); Pens: N/A.

Launceston man of the match: Ollie Bebbington/Dan Goldsmith.