PLYMPTON VICTORIA 29 NORTH TAWTON 45

A HIGH scoring game goes some way in reflecting the desire from both teams to enjoy the attack rather than defence style of play and that is what happened when North Tawton faced Plympton Victoria.

There seemed to be plenty of loose ball for the quick-of-thought players to make good metres and go on to score and that was players from both sides.

The Victoria pitch is not the biggest in the league and with it, in truth, needing a trim, it was hard work for the North Tawton backs to get any real control of the game early on.

Some poor handling added to the fortune of the home side which got a penalty and a converted try in the first 15 minutes making it 10-0 to Victoria.

With one or two regular faces missing from the Tawts line up, the travelling few did wonder if it was not to be our afternoon, but a lovely piece of play by several players got Tawton on the board with Conner Mathis going over for the first of his four tries for the match.

With Dave Fewings injured, the kicking duties fell to the no 10, James Bowden, who it has to be said kicked very well all game getting five out of the seven kicks he took.

The score 25 minutes into the game was 10-7 to Victoria.

It was an evenly posed game and it took a try saving tackle from Simon Quick to keep Victoria from going further ahead.

Soon after, just to prove he can play both ends of the field, the in-form utility player got his first try of the match, giving North Tawton the lead for the first-time in the match to make it 10-12.

It was proving to be a topsy-turvy game as back came Plympton Victoria.

A lack of communication from the Tawts lead to a converted try for the home side who, for a brief period, got back into the lead 17-12.

With the half-time whistle almost blown Tawton struck again, Simon Quick getting his second try of the game, and with James Bowden adding the extras, the half-time score was 17-19 to North Tawton.

Matt Baker got the second half off to a good start with a try and another good kick from James Bowden. The Tawts began to look like they were in charge, the score 17-26.

Turning the match on its head again, there were two tries from Victoria with one conversion - they were back in front with the score 29-26.

Frowns returned to Tawts supporters but step forward Mr Mathis who hammered in three tries in the last quarter of the match to take the game well away from the Plymouth side.

Any talk of who was man of the match was made easy with this display.

While I don’t think this match will go into the record books as one of Tawton’s finest, it was a win with a bonus point and put the Tawts equal top of the league.

Many pundits say Tawton should not be in this Division. Maybe they are right, but what games like this show is that the Tawts are going to have to put in the hard yards and keep focused to get back into Division One. Nobody rolls over around here.

On Saturday, November 11, the home game is v Salcombe.

Chris Phare