Monday 4 October, 2021, by Oli Masters
After the high of last weeks win, the crabs were dealt a blow to their confidence and momentum in what was a largely one sided loss against a Plymouth team clearly enjoying their home ground and the quirks that come with playing on the edge of Dartmoor.
Arguam used the fairly sizeable slope and windy conditions to their advantage in the first half and built a score that most thought was not out of sight of the visitors given that they would have the advantage in the second half. The lead was also built on Salcombe’s ill-discipline including a yellow card after only a few minutes.
The home team then gave the visiting Crabs a lesson in wet weather rugby. Injuries further dented Salcombe’s ability to launch a meaningful come back, aside from a late Daffyd Bonar try after great work from Grace and Clarke in the midfield.
Positives can be taken from the game, not least 2 or 3 improvements on targeted work ons identified in training and previous matches, gain line defence was improved, back line cohesion looked better and genuine attempts were made to get the ball wide just lacking the final killer pass at times.
A loss is nothing but disappointing especially when this Salcombe team had genuine ambition of following up last weeks victory, but attention will now turn to Totnes this coming Saturday in a local grudge match between two teams who have not met each other in the league for several years.
What is undeniable though is that Salcombe are growing as a club and the results will follow. New players are arriving, willing to make a leap of faith and this can only be of applauded as recruitment amongst a dwindling grass roots player base is an increasing struggle. The hope will be that Salcombe can move beyond merely fielding a competitive team every week and instead put forward a match day squad full of ambition, competition for places and solidarity.