Tribute Devon one and Devon Junior Plate competition.
North Tawton 32
Old Technicians 6
IT was decided to make this match a 'double-header' due to fixture congestion, with the teams due to play each other in the Devon Junior Vase before the end of the season.
North Tawton made a good start, forcing two penalties out of the back-tracking Old Technicians side in the early phases, one of which was converted by David Fewings.
A try was then scored by Tawton captain Keith Jones, playing at scrum half, from a ball won by Fewings when he followed up on a kick and harried the Old Techs defence in to a mistake. Fewings duly converted to take Tawton into a 10-0 lead.
More positive play by the home side in the form of a driving maul off a line out and a good break by fly half Simon Quick gained them territory but mistakes at the break down gave Old Techs the chance to clear and penetrate to the Tawton 22 metre area. However, they could not capitalise on this and Tawton responded with a break by centre Alex Dennis, who was brought down by a high tackle. The penalty kick from 40 metres was chosen and well converted by Fewings.
Unluckily at this point for North Tawton second row James Henshaw had to leave the field with a shoulder injury and player/coach Paul Turner came on to replace him.
As the half ended Old Techs got themselves onto the scoreboard with a penalty kick taken by Ryan Tunnicliffe, giving a half time score of 13-3 to North Tawton.
Old Technicians started the second half well and an early attack hustled North Tawton into mistakes leading to a penalty for Old Techs. This was well taken by Tunnicliffe to double his side's score.
Another misdemeanour gave Old Techs a tap penalty which was quickly taken and a driving maul took them to the Tawton try line. An immense effort by the Tawton scrum held the ball up, mainly through number eight Steve King who clamped his arms around the ball, preventing Old Techs from recycling it. A defending scrum was called on the seven metre line and King again anchored the maul, finally giving Tawton the chance to put in a clearance kick.
This could well have been the turning point of the match; if Old Techs had scored they would have been back in the game. As it was, North Tawton responded with a spell of determined play, leading to a break out by Alex Dennis, supported by Jones. His well-timed pass to Dan Dennis still left the wing with a lot to do and, as it seemed he would be closed out to the left touchline by the defence, he stepped back inside to go through for a fine try. The conversion was missed.
With North Tawton now dominating the territory game their scrum was beginning to take over. A break off the back of a set scrum by flanker Mike Young supported by Paul Turner forced Old Techs back to their 5 metre line. As they tried to clear from the back of a ruck the kick was charged down and bobbled on the try line. Tawton's other flanker Ian Perrott was first there to confirm the touchdown close to the corner flag. A well-struck conversion from wide out by Fewings took Tawton to a 25-6 lead.
There was soon the chance of another try as Tawton drove an Old Techs scrum back and turned over the ball. A darting run by scrum half Keith Jones was held up and the visitors survived. A substitution by Tawton at this stage welcomed back Tom Davis for his first game after a long lay-off.
The final try for the home side was deservedly down to the forwards as Paul Turner took a quick tap penalty about 10 metres out and with the support of his back row drove over the try line. It was number eight Steve King who forced the ball to ground for the try, which was converted by Fewings.
The final result of 32-6 takes North Tawton to second place in the Devon One rankings, one point behind Topsham and four ahead of Ilfracombe. It also means they are in the final of the Devon Junior Plate against Plympton Victoria, with a date yet to be confirmed.