North Tawton 1st XV 59

Plympton Victoria 1st XV 7

TAWTON put 60 points past Vics both home and away last season, and it took just three minutes to register their first try of the campaign.

A deft chip over the top from inside centre Jamie Stevens was collected by David Fewings on the Vics' 10 metre line. The winger offloaded to Cameron Rickerby who drew the last defender before feeding prop Alfie May to dot down under the posts unopposed. Stevens added the conversion.

Three minutes later, Strong running from openside Mike Young won North Tawton a penalty on half way. Scrum half Jack Phare took a quick tap and released the backline with Fewings being stopped ten metres shy of the line. Quick ball allowed fly-half Rickerby to crash through some weak tackling and touch down for a converted try.

A lack of penetration and sloppy passing stopped Vics building any momentum.

The visitors were beginning to slip off tackles with North Tawton making inroads into Vics' territory with each carry. Stevens scored the third try, breaking a double tackle on halfway and handing off two more before converting his own score for a 21-0 lead with less than 20 minutes on the clock.

Visiting fly-half Ryan Richards tried to spark his team into action with a chip-and-chase over the top on halfway, but his kick was fielded by Stevens who fed Fewings on the right. The winger showed great awareness to offload out the tackle with Young charging in from 22m. Stevens added the extras as the hosts wrapped up the bonus point within the first half hour.

As the first half drew to a close, the visitors gave a glimpse of what they were capable of when they kept hold of the ball. Winning turnover ball just inside the North Tawton half, the ball found its way to Callum Mustard. The powerful centre brushed off four tackles as he barrelled his way into the 22 before being hauled down. Sustained pressure saw the ball over the line but the referee adjudged it to have been held up. From the resultant scrum, Richards switched play to the blind side but good cover defence snuffed out the three-on-one to keep the score 28-0 at the break.

It took North Tawton ten minutes to add their fifth try, good link up play by Stevens and Captain William Sharp sending substitute Tom Chisholm clear down the right flank for a converted try.

Tom Chisholm was involved again as the home side piled on the misery with their second try of the half. Rickerby's break through the centre was well supported by Chisholm and after the winger was brought down close to the line, Rob McBain squeezed over and Jamie Stevens added the tricky conversion from out wide for a 42-0 lead.

Substitute Chisholm showed a clean pair of heels to race home from 30 metres before a catch-and-drive close to the line saw May add to his earlier try. Stevens missed the conversion for the first time, and was wide of the mark again ten minutes later when Rickerby stormed in from 65 metres after the home side forced a turnover.

Plympton Vics finally found a way through the resolute Tawton defence. A weaving run from fullback Darren Cox gave the visitors the platform to crash over from a rolling maul. Substitute Dan Warne emerged from the pile of bodies with the ball and Mark Leyton added the extras to make the final score 59-7.