CREDITON stepped on the gas in the second half to complete a 33-3 win over visitors Newton Abbot 1st XV.
Stuart Lowe, the Crediton coach, was rightly wary of Newton Abbot, who defied most expectations by thrashing Wellington by 50 points last time out.
And Lowe’s caution appeared well founded when half-time arrived with Crediton just 7-3 ahead.
Crediton scored the only try of the half from a line-out move with the experienced Ben Wonnacott touching down.
Newton Abbot had dominated for long spells with Tom Steer at fly-half pulling their strings.
It was a different story in the second half as a try hat-trick from Freddie Blackburn – a proper three-in-a-row job – had Crediton over the horizon by the hour mark.
The win was all the more remarkable as Crediton closed it out despite playing much of the second half a man down after Josh Hall was red-carded.
Victory kept Crediton joint top of the table with Topsham with a perfect 100 per cent bonus-point record from the first three games.
Newton Abbot 1st XV are at home to Cullompton this Saturday afternoon.
Talking of Newton Abbot and their Spartans were also in action this weekend, in a true derby fixture.
New Cross followed up their narrow win over Cullompton 2nd XV with an emphatic 46-12 win over Newton Abbot Spartans in the Devon Two derby at Rackerhayes.
Louie Griffiths and Dickie Life were the men of the moment for New Cross with two tries each in an eight-try performance.
The other four tries were banked by Shaun Bayliss, Jamie Zab, Red Milford and Rob Pedrick. Ash Ansermoz kicked four conversions.
Izaak Evans and debutant Paul Griffin were the Newton Abbot try scorers. Jack Warren converted one of them.
New Cross, promotion also ran last season, are aiming to get out of Devon Two this season.
Tim Marshall, part of the team management at Five Lanes, said the manner of the win over Newton Abbot was encouraging.
‘We know as a squad we’ve yet to hit the heights of last season, so we’ve got plenty to focus on at training to sharpen up in the weeks ahead,” said Marshall.
“We were happy with the performance and are starting to build some momentum with back-to-back wins.
“The fluidly of players switching in and out of the match-day squad – and maintain standards – is particularly pleasing.”
New Cross are at home to North Tawton this Saturday whilst Newton Abbot will go to Crediton.
