DARTMOUTH dipped to a 15-11 defeat at Withycombe in a Devon One nail-biter.

The game was a double-header that also counted for the Devon Junior Cup quarter-final between the two sides.

Withycombe battered away at the Dartmouth defence for much of the first 30 minutes before Lee Jackson wriggled over for the first try of the game.

Dartmouth were level inside five minutes thanks to a try by the posts for Arron Watkins. Kieran Wells’ conversion kick bounced away off the woodwork.

Wells made amends with the last kick of the first half with a penalty shunt that put Dartmouth 8-5 ahead.

Four minutes into the second half Wells was on target again from the tee for an 11-5 Dartmouth lead.

Withycombe’s response was a try for player-coach Adam Clayton after Dartmouth missed the jumper at a line-out. Tom Cooke converted for a 12-11 lead.

Cooke’s penalty on the hour was the final scoring act of the match.

Dartmouth heaped-on the pressure in the final 10 minutes but could not find a way through the home defence.