Devon One North and

East League

ON A day when conditions put the actual playing of this match in doubt, North Tawton were unlucky not to get the draw which, for a long time, looked to be the likely outcome.

The match had already been re-arranged from the previous week because of bad weather and the prospects looked no better. However, the captains and referee decided the pitch was playable and what turned out to be quite a good match was played out in driving wind and rain.

Early on North Tawton took the game to the league leaders and pinned them in their half. Totnes were able to hold out with the help of some long clearance kicks using the strong wind.

They eventually made it to Tawton's 22 metre and were awarded a penalty kick. The attempted conversion looked on target but then was whipped away past the upright by the wind.

Both sides made an attempt to get the game flowing but things broke down as the ball slipped and skidded out of the hand or across the mud.

Good scrummaging in the set pieces again gave Tawton several chances to set up attacks and regain territory and the half-time whistle blew with them back on the Totnes five metre line but with no score for either side.

In the second half it was Totnes who made the running and gained two penalties. The first they ran but got no change from the solid Tawton defence; the second they kicked but it fell well short, giving Tawton's full-back, Bill Sharp, the chance to put in a good long clearance.

North Tawton then set up a good attack with some spirited running and confident handling, considering the conditions.

Totnes were penalised in range for North Tawton to attempt a penalty kick but the ball was skewed well wide. The home side came back with a strong break from their fly-half. At the 22 metre line he put in a very good cross-field punt for his right winger but the ball was fumbled and the danger passed.

Finally Totnes were able to get across the North Tawton line following a penalty kick to a line- out about five metres out. The take and drive gave them a try, but the kick, almost inevitably, went wide.

The Tawton squad continued to play really well and put Totnes under a lot of pressure. Their efforts were nearly rewarded with a score as scrum-half, Simon Quick, broke off the back of another strong scrum.

He timed his pass well to fly-half Rob North, supporting at pace, but the slippery conditions meant he was unable to side step to evade the defending tackler and he lost his footing.

Tawton had another half chance when Steve King ripped a ball out of a loose maul to get his backs moving again, but the Totnes defence held.

In the final stages of the match Totnes were back close to the Tawton line and a scrambled attempt at a drop goal was the last meaningful action of a match in which the weather proved to be a great leveller and Totnes probably glad to scrape the win.

Tomorrow (November 28) North Tawton are at home to Wessex and will be looking to redress the result of the away leg.

Graham King