NORTH TAWTON 6 - PAIGNTON 11

WITH all the European matches being on the TV you could be excused for thinking that your best bet for watching a good game of the oval ball would be in the warm in front of the box.

However, the match between North Tawton and Paignton was a very good reason to support grass roots rugby.

It had a bit of everything, but most of all it was a fine advert for rugby at any level, two teams going at it for the full 80 minutes.

Paignton arrived at Taw Meadow sitting in second place and with a confidence of a well drilled side able to call on a lot bigger catchment area for players than North Tawton could ever dream of.

However, all that counts for nothing when the whistle goes.

The North Tawton side are never fazed by who they are playing, and as the season unfolds in this higher league, it is part of the Tawts DNA.

The first 10 minutes of this match was an exchange of kicks trying to gain territory, each testing the others set piece play, Paignton learning very quickly that the Tawton side were more than a match in both scrum and line out departments.

Paignton struck first with a penalty and took a three-point lead, and with that seemed to settle in to their play at this stage, maybe slightly better than the home side, a yellow card for Tawton not helping the cause.

The next points on the board thankfully for the home side was a penalty for the Tawts, making it three all.

It looked like it was going to be a tight game and it was end-to-end stuff.

It was a good run in for the away side, missed conversion, making it 3-8.

This was soon followed by another penalty, making the score of 3-11.

It was looking like Paignton had got a grip on this match, which was a bit worrying for the home supporters.

North Tawton needed to score next, they could not afford to let Paignton get further ahead, and with an increase in intensity went at the opposition determined to close the gap.

They get their reward, a penalty, three points and we go into half-time at 6-11. It was all to play for.

The half-time score was the same as the full-time score 6-11, a scoreless second-half suggests it was a poor 40 minutes but nothing could be further from the truth.

There was some really good rugby played by both sides and, if anything, it was North Tawton who had more ball in-hand, pinning the away side back in their own 22 for long periods.

There were just a few strange calls from the referee, a knock on or two dropped past stopping the Tawts from adding to the six points, a rare missed penalty by the home team not helping.

At the final whistle it was a relieved Paignton side leaving the field with an away win, North Tawton having to be content with a losing bonus point.

You got the feeling that this was a win that slipped away.

Dan Dennis was man of the match. As a Tawts supporter you come to expect and rely on Dan to have a good game every week. He is one of the cornerstones of the team.

Next it is off to deepest Cornwall to take on the Pirates from Penzance.

Chris Phare