LISKEARD 20 - NORTH TAWTON 24

NORTH Tawton travelled for the second week running into the county of Cornwall, this time a tricky match up with the team from Liskeard and Looe who sit midway in the league table as do North Tawton.

Coming off the back of two losses the Tawts were looking for an away win if nothing else but to steady the ship and regain some momentum for their first season in this league.

North Tawton took to the field with a few faces missing but with a team well capable of getting a win.

A brilliant solo try by the fastest hooker in the league, Matt Baker, inside the first two minutes of the match, seemed to give the travelling faithful a nerve settling seven points up in no time.

As is with rugby, you can’t take anything for granted and what was an easy start, proved to be a nail biting last 15 minutes or so for both teams.

The early setback, if nothing else, woke the home team up to the task ahead of them.

It wasn’t long before they got the first of two quick tries, both from good work from the fly-half who, until the Tawts learnt to close him down, was at the centre of all play coming from Liskeard.

We went into the second quarter with Liskeard leading 12-7.

It was proving to be a hard afternoon in a windy Liskeard.

I am not sure what it is, maybe because the Tawts like to play a fast running game that some of the referees struggle to keep up with, but we always about mid match get a period where North Tawton get pinged for every infringement in the book.

This game was no different, the referee making some very strange decisions.

The Tawts were finding it really hard to build any phases without hearing the whistle.

North Tawton, with the determination we have come to expect, built some 30 minutes after their first try.

With a strong run down the wing by Archie Taylor, who went over in the corner, the kick was missed but it took us to 12 each.

The Tawts got their tails up.

With the game swinging back in the favour of the visitors and the ref losing his whistle for the time being it wasn’t long before North Tawton got their third try.

It was a fine effort of good quick passing.

It was Captain Gary Sizmur under the posts who converted his own try and we got the score to 12-19.

A penalty conceded by the Tawts got the home team to 15-19.

It was all to play for but just before half-time another phase of good handling skills lead to the fourth and bonus point try.

Bill Sharp took the honours but with a missed kick we achieved a 15-24 scoreline on the 40 minute whistle. Almost like the Tawts had had the nerve to lead at half-time, the home team set to trying to close the deficit and threw everything at the Tawts pinning them back in their own 22 for long periods, scrum-after-scum not doing any good for the nerves of anybody from across the Tamar.

Inevitably the defence broke, it has to be said aided by a blatant forward pass.

Liskeard got their try to narrow the gap to four points.

It was going to be a long time to the final whistle

North Tawton brought back Dan Quinn to bolster a creaking pack and it was with several good pushes that North Tawton were able to clear their lines and kick the ball up field to relieve some heavy pressure, the clock ticking down and finally it’s done, the final score North Tawton 24 and Liskeard and Looe 20.

This, make no mistake, was a hard but well deserved win for North Tawton.

The team never gave up, either in defence or attack.

It was a pleasure, not always good for the nerves mind you, to watch them all playing for each other.

Man of the Match was Archie Taylor who had a good afternoon on the wing.

Next we are home to PAO from Plymouth.

Chris Phare