NORTH TAWTON 40    

SOUTH MOLTON 12     

AFTER the disappointment of the previous week’s game being called off North Tawton got their season started with a home game against a powerful and strong looking South Molton side on Saturday, September 10.

With a few players missing for various reasons, and the memory of the last encounter between the two sides, it would be fair to say the few but hardy on the touchline from North Tawton were feeling a tad nervous but by the time the referee blew for full-time we had seen a more than good display of rugby from two teams with very different styles.

South Molton kicked off the first half into a breeze that was stronger than it appeared, both sides taking yards with the ball where and when they could until Ben Sharp, the North Tawton wing, made the opening break and went over for Tawts first try with Jake Ayris  adding the conversion making it 7-0 to the home team.

A penalty miss by Ayris was soon made up for by a fine solo run by Will Lethbridge who, with a super run, scored under the post with  Ayris adding the extras to make it 14-0.  

The purple patch continued for North Tawton with another Sharp try again by Ben who added to his tally making it, with the kick from Ayris, 21-0.

Half-time was marred with the injury to North Tawton prop Dan Bennett who was having a fine game which meant the Tawts had to make some changes across the field.

The second half got underway with South Molton looking a bit more up for the job in-hand and with Tawts trying to get comfortable with the new line up, it wasn’t helped by the home team being reduced to 14 for 10 minutes with No 8 Ryan Gross sent off for not rolling away.

After some sustained pressure from South Molton it was North Tawton who scored first in the second half with another Sharp try not to be outdone by his younger brother, this time by Bill Sharp, scoring a missed kick making the score 26-0.

South Molton to their credit were not going to give up and kept going at Tawton hammer and tongs trying to play their power game giving the Tawts pack a torrid time in the scrum but a very good Ayris try and conversion surely put the game out of reach with the score on 33-0.

With the South Molton No 8 being yellow carded Tawts yet again added to the score with another try by Will Lethbridge with one of his getting to be trademark runs at anybody in a different shirt. This, with the kick by Ayris, brought the score to 40-0.

Still South Molton would not lie down and after some strong pushing went over for their first of two tries with one a piece for Joe Blackford and J Tapp.

George Whiting adding one kick from two attempts to give the visitors 12.  

All in all it was a fine advert for “grass roots” rugby proving you don’t have to go to Sandy Park to get your rugby fix.

Such was the result that it would be no surprise if the same Tawts team starts tomorrow (Saturday, September 17) - injuries permitting.  

Will Lethbridge was man of the match and while all played well, the word from the other side of the whitewash is that Tawts hooker, M Baker, also had a great game.

Pete Hoggins