Devon one

Exeter Athletic 10

THE larger than normal travelling North Tawton support group were expecting a tough tight game and for the first 60 minutes thats what they witnessed ­— with two teams, first and second placed in the league, going at it hammer and tongs.

It was end to end play with the home side coming forward with purpose only for the visitors to do the same with equal intensity with both teams aware of the importance of the result of this match.

Exeter Athletic had the chance to close the points gap and finishing league winners while for leaders North Tawton it was a chance to cement their position at the top and extend their lead.

The first hour was tight with the home side taking an early lead with a penalty for offside after five minutes. Gradually the North Tawton players started to grow into the game spending longer periods in the right areas of pitch and just before half time they earned their rewards with a penalty of their own to go into the interval at 3-3 and the feeling that they were slowly getting the upper hand.

Exeter Athletic though from the restart ran from the half way line with the Exeter full back evaded many tackles to go over the Tawton try line for a good solo effort. The conversion was added at 10-3 to the home side.

North Tawton though restarted with renewed vigour and determination and they spent long periods almost camped on the Exeter try line with ‘pick and go’ making their way forward metre by metre back until Luke Mingo went over for the visitors; the conversion was added by Gary Sizmur for 10-10.

A penalty for North Tawton soon after their try gives them the lead at 10-13 and not long after a copy pick and go try came from Kev Dennis for 10-18.

North Tawton were now finally in control, winning important ball at break downs and looking like the league leaders.

They took the game away from a well drilled Athletic side when a fine run from captain Craig Dennis took the score to 10-23. This enabled the travelling faithful to enjoy the final few minutes of the game. Man of the match  was North Tawton’s Dan Dennis.