BARNSTAPLE handed Cleve victory in an error-strewn match at Pottington Road this afternoon.

The visitors scored two kick-and-chase tries in the first half and followed those with two interception scores after the break for a 29-20 win.

Matt Spencer's injury-time conversion added insult to injury by taking Cleve more than seven points clear and denying Barum a bonus point.

They must now wait at least another week before being sure of a place in National Three South West for next season.

Barnstaple made a bright start, with a forward pass denying Paul Scheres an early try. But they were thrown out of their stride when fly-half Neil Giddy limped off after just eight minutes with a knee problem and an afternoon of wild passes and poor handling followed.

Giddy's replacement, Grant Tuhakaraina, kicked a penalty against the left-hand post with his first touch of the ball and, by the 26th minute, Cleve were 10-0 up.

Spencer punished Simon Watkins for a high tackle by kicking an 18th-minute penalty then, on 25 minutes, Barum conceded the first of four soft tries.

Scheres failed to deal with Jonathan Pritchard's kick and the Cleve outside centre pounced. Fly-half Spencer added the conversion.

Barum's response was positive and within five minutes they had drawn level at 10-10.

First Tuhakaraina kicked a penalty, then Mark Fatialofa burst through a couple of tackles and released wing Mark Galliford for a sprint to the line. Tuhakaraina's conversion went over off the post.

However, Cleve took a seven-point lead into half-time thanks to their second kick-and-chase try.

Barum were penalised at a scrum near the halfway line and Cleve scrum-half Nathan Huntley tapped the penalty before kicking into the corner and winning the race for the ball. Spencer landed an excellent conversion from wide on the left.

Barnstaple had the better of the second half but were facing an uphill battle when Cleve got the first points 20 minutes in to go 22-10 ahead.

With his side pressing again, flanker Michael Sumner launched a pass towards the left wing but it landed in the arms of Cleve full-back Marcus Brooker who ran three-quarters of the length of the field, just making it to the tryline before being caught by Galliford.

Barnstaple cancelled out that try when their third attempt at a catch and drive in the right corner ended with a try for prop Mark Berry on 67 minutes.

And they looked set to go level five minutes from time when replacement wing Winston James was held up just short of the line but number eight Jack Elliott powered over from the resulting ruck.

It was a difficult conversion for Tuhakaraina, wide on the left, and he missed, leaving Barum two points short at 22-20.

They were gifted a golden opportunity when Cleve were penalised at a scrum in the last minute of normal time.

It was probably too far out to kick at goal but booting it to the corner would have given Barum good position.

Instead scrum-half Ian Wilson tapped and ran and threw a pass that bounced off Elliott, handing possession back to Cleve.

They used it to drive Barum back into their 22 and, when they tried to run the ball out, a pass popped off prop Brad Slade's shoulder and TJ Madammombe gobbled it up to run in under the posts. Spencer's conversion took Cleve nine points clear of Barnstaple in the match and 10 points in the league table.

Barnstaple: Paul Scheres; Johny Carter, Mark Fatialofa (Winston James 74), Simon Watkins (capt), Mark Galliford; Neil Giddy (Grant Tuhakaraina 9), Ian Wilson; Mark Berry, Leon Incledon (Sam Roberts 66), Brad Slade, John Ovenell, Gary Turner, Michael Sumner, Jason Slade, Jack Elliott.

Scorers — tries: Galliford, Berry, Elliott. Con: Tuhakaraina. Pen: Tuhakaraina.

Cleve: Marcus Brooker; Dan Ajuwa, Jonathan Pritchard, TJ Madamombe, Jake Fletcher; Matt Spencer, Nathan Huntley; Andy O'Donnell, Liam McMahon, Dan Cox (Ben Sparks 23-26, 60), Lewis Hillier, Dave Partington (Dan Howick ht), Dan Lear (Matt Coombs 50), Craig Trump, Sam Roach (capt).

Scorers — tries: Pritchard, Huntley, Brooker, Madamombe. Cons: Spencer 3. Pen: Spencer.

● Check back on www.thisisnorthdevon.co.uk tomorrow for the first reaction to the game and see Thursday's

Journal

for all the news and views from Barnstaple Rugby Club.