EXETER ATHLETIC 17-15 NORTH TAWTON RFC

NORTH Tawton took to the field against a strong side from Exeter Athletic, missing a few key players due to injuries etc.

As the half-time score of 0-0 suggests, it turned into a real struggle to see which team could break the deadlock.

With both teams making attacks in equal measure, it was anyone’s guess at the halfway mark as to who could push on for a win.

After the restart, it was Athletic who seemed to gain the upper hand with a converted try, making the score 0-7.

North Tawton fought back with a penalty from Liam Pyle, taking us to 3-7. 

We then got into a period in the game where, try as they might, nothing would go right for the Tawts.

A dropped ball, a knock-on all hindered attempts to get some sort of foothold in the game.

Exeter were not slow to make the most of this, and added two well-worked tries to give us a score with 20 mins to go of 3-17.

The game was slipping away from Tawton, but the Tawts upped the tempo and now, with more ball in hand, went at the visitors with a lot more intent.

Tries from Cam Rickerby and Glenn Walters, and a conversion from Liam Pyle, took the scoreboard to 15-17. 

It was soon the clock that became the enemy, and with their tails up and a new belief in place, the North Tawton side went hammer and tongs at Athletic, trying to nick the game right at the last.

But alas, the clock did beat the Tawts, the referee blowing the final whistle at 15-17. 

The Tawton side had left their comeback just a bit too late, but this took nothing away from Athletic, who picked up a good away win.

Chris Phare