Kingsbridge U18s girls claimed a 30-27 win over local rivals Ivybridge to secure their first victory in this season’s National Cup.

A last-minute try from prop Erin Roberts was the difference in this pool match played at High House on Sunday.

With virtually all the early play in Ivybridge half, it was only a matter of time before Kings converted the territory they had probed so well. Winger Lucy Allen managed to grab the ball from her opposite number before releasing centre Scarlett Murgatroyd through the middle. Scrum-half Maggie Moore and Delphine Stilwell combined to put Murgatroyd into space before Moore popped up again to slip a pass to Murgatroyd who scampered over the line to score the first try of the match in the 30th minute.

Ivybridge wasted no time getting on the scoreboard having made it into Kings’ half from the kick-off with centre Ellie Campbell dotting down in the corner.

The final minutes of the first half was more of see-saw affair with Katie Wreyford, Jessie Friend, Abi Lethbridge and Amy Sweet finding space and Delphine Stilwell putting in an enormous tackle in the middle of the field. However, a bulldozing run from Connie Eastwood, assisted by No 8 Maisie Williams, lock Hope Elliott and Roberts, enabled fly-half Amelia Benfield to put Murgatroyd into space for her second. At half-time, the score was 10-5.

Kings continued to push from the whistle in the second half with prop Cerys Flage also piling on the pressure, but any time the ball landed in hands of Ivy’s full-back Izzy Firth, there was a risk of her scoring. She glided through Kings’ defence and went untouched through the home side’s half to score. She converted her own try to put Ivy in the lead at 10-12 after 44 minutes played.

Ten minutes later and Kings’ full-back Wreyford showed a few skills of her own. A safe pair of hands under the high ball, she set off back into Ivy territory before finding Lethbridge on the wing before Moore dived on the ball to score. Kings were back in the lead 15-12.

A solid scrum from Ivy gave the visitors the platform they need to set up their third try, this time from centre Eva Wright. Firth kicked the conversion to make it 15-19.

The score swung the other away when flanker Georgia Berryman burst through the middle of Ivy’s defence to put Kings back in front 20-19, only for the lead to be reclaimed by Ivy with a Firth penalty.

Heading into the last 10 minutes of the game, a quick-tap penalty saw Moore, Williams, Roberts, Charli-Ann Barons and Murgatroyd push into the red zone to send over Lethbridge in the corner to grab a 25-22 lead.

Nervous home supporters were biting their nails in the autumn sunshine, compounded by Campbell’s second try down the wing that put Ivy 25-27 ahead.

This game came down to the final minute and the individual determination of Roberts. It is wondrous thing to see a prop move so fast and, thankfully, no-one could stop her, and Kings claimed a 30-27 win.