OLD TECHS 24 - NORTH TAWTON 34

AFTER a three-week lay off for Christmas etc North Tawton were looking forward to the challenge that an away trip to Plymouth in the shape of the Old Techs would bring them.

The final score brought them nothing more than they deserved. It wasn’t always easy, it wasn’t always pretty, but the Tawts got the job done, the bonus point secured by half-time and a 10-point win not really reflecting the difference between the two sides.

As the game went on it has to be said that the away side seemed to fall foul of getting on the wrong side of the Plymouth ref and a number of penalties gave the home side a platform to play off which they very much did.

Three second half tries kept the scoreboard tighter than what it might have been.

The game, in truth, was all but won in the first 20 minutes. After being pinned in their own half for much of this time the three visits that North Tawton did make into the Old Techs red zone resulted in three tries.

They were the product of some very good handling skills and some good inter play and the running rugby style that we are coming to expect from this Tawts side.

Jake Ayris got the first try, quickly followed by Matt Baker with the second and Craig Dennis the third, all in a 20-minute or so period which took the wind out of the home teams sails.

Having said that they didn’t roll over a well-worked try of their own but it gave them their first points.

At nearly half-time the score was 5-19 in favour of the Tawts.

As if to have the last word on the half, North Tawton, in the shape of Gary Sizmur, added another try just before the whistle.

Going for the oranges, with a missed conversion, the half-time score was 5-24.

The second half started and you could feel the frustration from the Old Techs.

Whatever they did North Tawton seemed to have the answers and a try from Si Cox within a few minutes of the restart didn’t help the home teams cause.

At 5-29, you could say the game was slipping away from them.

We got into the final 20 minutes of the match and it was getting a bit testy, the ref working hard to keep the handbags from playing too big a part in the game.

Some strange calls were not helping and North Tawton went down to 14 men for a yellow card, wrong player, but hey-ho.

Old Techs took advantage and went over for their second try. With the kick it was now 12-29.

North Tawton were not having anything to do with a home team comeback.

Step up the man of the match Gary Sizmur for his second of the game, Tawton’s sixth to make it 12-34.

Two late tries by the Old Techs gave us the final score of 24-34 and also got the home team a four-try bonus point.

You got the feeling the whistle came at the right time for both sides. Looking forward to this weekend for North Tawton, the side will be home to Tamar Sarries - it doesn’t get any easier!

Chris Phare