THE euphoria of Crediton RFC’s promotion in the first season of the leagues was short-lived as the following year we went straight down again and there we stayed for three seasons until “promotion” was gained, not so much by the on-field performances, but rather through the league restructuring and Western Counties was now a 13 team league.

We held our own for a further four seasons when, at the end of 1995-96 we finished at the foot of the table.

Fortune and reorganisation spared us from relegation as the Western Counties league was split, West and North although it was purely a stay of execution as the following year we finished second from bottom and were relegated along with Saltash.

By now, the fixtures were on a home-and-away basis, so the number of league games increased to 20, but we were, in effect, back where we began nine years earlier.

It was not all doom and gloom though as it took just one season to return to WCW as runners-up to Truro, and we headed toward the new millennium, and new beginnings.

Of course the seasons are not simply about one team, 1992-93 saw the introduction of the Devon Second XV Merit Table and, right through to the Millennium, the ‘Quins performed consistently and were only out of the top five on two occasions.

The Third XV were also winning more games than they were losing and it would not be long before they too would be competing in a Merit Table.

Such is the irony of the sport that the relegation system in the Merit Tables meant our Thirds were having to compete against a number of Second XV’s, one of which was Torquay. It was not that long previously that the only First team fixture that Torquay would give us was against their Seconds!

HOPE

The real cause for hope was the quality of players coming through from the Juniors and Colts. History tells us that the strength of the Club has always been in the development of young players, some would stay with the Club and others would try their hand at a higher level and very successfully too.

In the main, the three senior sides would comprise of around 80 per cent home-grown players that have come via the Juniors and Colts, a remarkable record that is probably unequalled in the County.

DOWN MEMORY LANE

For this week’s memory we turn to a current player and former captain, Lance Palmer, who made the point that every game that you play for Crediton is something that should be cherished because one day it may be your last, whether you wish it or not.

Lance is one of those seemingly unflappable characters who simply gets on with his job of educating opposing props simply and without fuss.

Having made his First XV debut in 2008-09 after two years in the Colts, he has been a regular ever since and has made more than 200 First XV appearances.

During the past 12 years Lance has enjoyed a number of memorable games, the last gasp victory at Torquay at the end of 2017-18 season which kept us in Western Counties West and relegated Torquay being one and the play off win at Midsomer Norton the following season was another. However, Lance has gone for the victory over Saltash on April 18, 2015.

This was the last league game of the season, and after a number of years back in the Cornwall and Devon league, we had, at last, been promoted back to Western Counties West.

Both Saltash and ourselves were guaranteed promotion but this game would decide who went up as Champions.

We went into the game in second place, one point behind Saltash (118 points to 117). Both sides had lost only once during the entire campaign, we had won at Saltash 27-24 in the opening game but had lost by a single point at Withycombe (10-11).

A wonderful sunny day with a bumper crowd and a feast of entertaining rugby to look forward to, after all it was not just the occasion but also the fact that over the years, games between the two sides had always been closely fought and high scoring affairs, on average over 50 points was scored whenever the two sides met.

For Saltash, a draw would see them go up as Champions, whereas we had to win and everything pointed to a tremendous spectacle.

The game itself certainly lived up to expectations, Saltash, with the best attacking record in the league against the best defensive record was another factor to be added in.

The visitors plan was clear from the outset, they would not allow us to settle, quick lineouts, quick “tap and go” penalties were the order of the day for them.

We were stretched a few times but the defence held firm. We drew first blood when Ollie Avery-Wright popped over a penalty for a high tackle.

Both sides intent on running the ball at every opportunity and it was Mark Lee who made a 40-metre break from our own “22”, before feeding scrum-half Tom Ronchetti, who galloped over the last 25 metres to score, Avery-Wright added the conversion.

From then on it was nip-and-tuck all the way, the Ashes came back to 16-12 before Devon Hosegood bagged the try 10 minutes from time and which Avery-Wright converted.

A few scares in the final 10 minutes, but we survived and went up as Champions.

A superb afternoon for everyone as both sides contributed to a superb game and certainly one befitting of the occasion. A sweet moment for Lance as he recalled that every year since he made his First team debut, promotion was the objective and, at last, it had been achieved.

Paul Harris