North Tawton 19 - Exmouth 19

AFTER an enforced three-week break due to the almost biblical rain that Devon has endured, waterlogged pitches everywhere, North Tawton welcomed the league leaders in the shape of Exmouth to Taw Meadows.

The teams lining up to do battle on the back pitch, Exmouth full of confidence getting to this stage of the season unbeaten and North Tawton who could be excused a little bit of foreboding not playing since the home drubbing they got from Okehampton before the rains set in. The game gets underway and it wasn’t long before the Exmouth backs pile on the early pressure to the Tawton defence showing every bit why they are table toppers.

The visitors get the first try of the game and with the conversion added its 0-7.

Its early doors and from the restart North Tawton show signs of shaking off what is becoming a regular slow start to the game, they give Exmouth fair warning that they too can play good running rugby with a well-worked try, his first for the club, by Aiden Dunster, the kick added and its 7-7.

We now get into the heart of the first half and with the most of the ball time in their favour the Exmouth team start to move the ball around with some good lines run at speed at a hard working Tawton defence dogged in keeping the visitors at bay.

The pressure tells in the end and before half time Exmouth run in two more tries and one conversion, giving us at half time a score of 7-19.

The scoreboard in truth belies the hard work that North Tawton are putting in, they are not fazed by the visitors and with a favourable bounce of the odd ball in open play it could well be a different story.

We start the second half this time with North Tawton a lot quicker out of the blocks and when Luke Jenkins goes over and the kick added by Liam Pyle narrows the points difference to 14-19, it really is game on.

The tide, if you like, has somewhat turned.

It’s North Tawton with their tails up and its Exmouth’s turn to defend with vigour of which they did but try as they might they could not stop that man Si Quick going over for what now seems his regular try, its 19-19.

With a conversion to come, unfortunately the difficult kick missed.

The sides are locked together at 19 apiece - this game is going down right to the wire.

The last few minutes are spent with Exmouth on the full flown attack trying to rewind the game that they must have thought they had won at half time.

They didn’t reckon for the resolve of a very spirited Tawton side and when the ball was kicked into touch, ending the game.

I think both teams would take the draw looking back over the game that has to be said was played in good spirits and was a credit to both teams.

With three tries each for both teams means no try bonus points but two each for the draw does neither team any harm.

Chris Phare