NORTH Tawton RFC started the new year with a trip to Cullompton, the Cullompton first team also playing at home, which meant that the Cully Seconds were entertaining North Tawton on the back pitch.

With no cover from the grandstand or nearby teas, coffee or toilets to hand, it felt very windswept and when Culllompton scored their first try in under three minutes I really did question my sanity to why I was there.

But it only took a few minutes for North Tawton to hit back with a try from Jack Phare, all be it a missed kick. In no time at all it was a 7-5 score board, and the fun began.

Cullompton, in the Tawts red zone, couldn’t quite get over the line with some sterling defensive work by the visitors, somehow keeping Cully out.

Anything you can do we can do better it seems with Tawton, who shook off the slow start and got into their stride.

The Tawts scored two unanswered tries coming from lineout and driving maul after some great kicking from hand by Ryan Goss into the corners, the tries being scored by Brad Hudson and Simon Quick.

North Tawton found themselves 7-19 up but it still didn’t feel like it was enough.

As expected, back come Cullompton giving the Tawton defence another battering, this time getting their rewards in their second try with the conversion taking us to 14-19, still anybody’s game.

What Tawton needed now was just to steady the ship as Cullompton had found another gear and had their tails up, coming at Tawton with everything they had.

The older hands from Tawton, backed up by some good line run by the backs, slowly got the game back under some sort of control and another try from Brad Hudson before half time took the score to 14-24.

Cullompton with another new found vigour and not wanting to lose in front of their home support struck first in the second half, with the kick added it was 21-24.

North Tawton knew if they wanted the away win there was still more work to do. The Tawts attack got back into their stride with some broken play giving them the ball a metre from the try line.

After several attempts at going over but just being short, Bill Sharp got the try for the away side.

Avoiding the “we score they score next” flow of the game, the Tawts used their driving maul again to get the next try with Brad Hudson getting his hat-trick.

The score was now 21-34 to the away side with 10 minutes to go. All the visitors need to do was wait for the referee to blow full time.

Even that was not easy, Cullompton after the losing bonus point scored the final try of a very absorbing game to give us the final score 26-34. Was great to see Brad Hudson get a hat trick and Si Quick, Jack and Bill add to their try tally for the season.

I remembered on coming away from another good well worked win why I was there! As I keep saying you don’t need to go to Sandy Park to see good rugby played, in good spirit from both sides.

North Tawton host Okehampton II on Friday under the lights, 7.30pm KO.

Chris Phare