Withycombe Rugby Club staged a remarkable comeback against Tamar Saracens in Plymouth with a win, despite having their previous match cancelled.

The team travelled to the game with just 16 players, anticipating a challenging match, but were determined to prove their mettle.

The game started with the host team controlling most of the early possession and gaining momentum.

However, with a strong defensive effort, Withy turned the ball over and found themselves in an attacking position.

Scrum half Alex Peterson spotted a gap in the defence and scored, with Tom Cooke's conversion taking the score to 0-7 in Withy's favour after just nine minutes.

Withy soon faced a setback when Aidan Clarke picked up an injury, forcing them to use their only substitute after just 16 minutes.

Despite the change, Withy continued to break through the Saracens' defence and narrowly missed another try due to a last-minute tackle.

The Saracens capitalised on a man advantage after Adam Clayton was sin-binned, scoring under a pile of bodies just 10 metres from the posts.

Withy was soon down to 13 players after Josh Saunders was also shown a yellow card for tackling ahead of the mark at a quickly taken penalty.

Despite being depleted, the team held their ground defensively, preventing the Saracens from scoring further.

With the first half nearing its end, Withy had a chance for more points with a tough penalty kick.

Cooke struck the ball precisely, giving Withy a 7-10 lead at the break.

The second half began positively for Withy, with a break from Ben Dawson finding Sam Wheeler, who made significant ground on the right wing.

Although denied a try by a last-minute tackle, the ball was recovered and taken through the phases before Luke Crompton launched over the line to score, extending Withy's lead.

The next 15 to 20 minutes saw both teams battling in the middle third of the field.

The Saracens had an opportunity to close the gap with a kick at goal, but with the ball sailing wide, they had to settle for the scrum after losing the ball forward when attempting to clear.

With just over 10 minutes left, Withy was again reduced to 13 players after Liam Cullen was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on, taking another player with him due to uncontested scrum rules.

Despite the pressure, Withy held firm defensively.

After two try-saving tackles, the Plymouth side were left desperate for their score.

Phase after phase of attack tested Withy, but the team battled through adversity and suddenly found themselves in possession of the ball.

From just metres away from the Withy try line, Dawson broke free, leaving Saracens players and supporters stunned.

A perfectly timed pass to Peterson completed the move at halfway, as the scrum half jinked his way past the final defenders to run in a try in the corner.

Cooke's conversion in the 75th minute completed the scoring.

The final score was Tamar Saracens 7, Withycombe 22.

A resolute performance from the boys in green and black, who kept their spirits high throughout the match, resulting in a much-needed win on the road.

The team now has a week off to rest and will be back at Raleigh Park on November 2, where they will welcome Dartmouth for their replayed opening fixture. Kick-off will be at 2.30pm.