NORTH TAWTON 8 - EXETER ATHLETIC 14

THIS was the clash of the top two, North Tawton, the league leaders, and Exeter Athletic, sitting in second place, with a game in-hand so there was a lot to play for.

The Exeter team arrived looking very confident, their coaching staff resplendent in their South West Comms jackets, reinforcing their talk of the connection to the Chiefs.

In warm-up they looked a well-drilled, powerful side. The Tawts were going to have to be on the game from the word go.

After a pretty even first 10 minutes it was a penalty to North Tawton that got the scoreboard moving, the kick made by James Bowden, 3-0 to the home side.

More than ever this week the extra weight of the opposing pack gave the Tawts a lot of work to do just to break even.

The much heavier Exeter team really made the extra pounds count.

It was 24 minutes in and the visitors got the first try of the match, the kick missed, they took the lead 3-5.

With a penalty awarded by a very quick to the whistle ref, the Tawts found themselves at 3-8 down, a missed penalty of their own not helping to close the gap and the half-time score, 3-8 to Exeter Athletic.

Right from the whistle the North Tawton side looked like wanting to take the fight to the away side and showed glimpses of the running ball in-hand rugby we know they are capable of but again the ref didn’t see it the Tawts way and another penalty against them took the score to 3-11.

It is good to report that the Tawton heads didn’t drop at this point, in fact the tempo went up a notch and it was rewarded with a very deserved try for Si Cox, the kick missed taking the score to 8-11 and renewed hope for the home supporters, but the clock was ticking.

As is the way of the afternoon in general, North Tawton gave away another penalty and the three points that went with it.

To move the score on to 8-14, a late flurry into the Exeter half proved too late to change the outcome and the Tawts lost for the first time this season.

While it was disappointing to lose, the North Tawton side can hold their heads high, the home fans pointing to a couple of factors that could have made a difference to the game.

There was a trip on Craig Dennis, who surely was on for a try, and a big hint of a forward pass in the scoring of the visitors try, but no point moaning or blaming the ref in the end, the home side did make hard work of the game.

I see no reason why the Tawts can’t go away and get a win at the Athletic.

Man of the match was Conner Mathis who takes some putting down and always breaks the game line.

Chris Phare