Kingsbridge 19 :
Tavistock 18
The result of this top of the Merit League Division 2 match was in
doubt, right up to the final whistle. The two well matched teams
produced a gripping game, full of commitment and no little skill.
Kingsbridge played down the slope in the first half and with their
speedy threequarters always looking dangerous when they had the ball in
hand. It needed some stout defending from Tavistock to keep them at
bay. Ian Gray;Tom Charlesworth; Martin Credicott; Haydon Biddle; Tom
Friend and Wil Tomkins all produced a number of important tackles to
keep the scoresheet blank. It was frustrating that a missed tackle
eventually led to the home side scoring a converted try after 27
minutes, to give them the lead. Despite kicking away a lot of their
possession, Tavistock then started to make some inroads into the
opposition half and the forwards were now putting the home side under
increasing pressure, but without creating many clearcut scoring
chances. Kingsbridge were starting to incur penalties and Credicott
kicked two of them, although crucially, a third rebounded from the
post. Halftime arrived with the home side leading 7 - 6, but with
Tavistock now starting to look the dominant side.
Tavistock started the second half as they had finished the first and
after some good driving play from the forwards, quick ball to the backs
saw centre Jon Bellamy cut through the home defence for a fine try five
minutes into the half. Credicott's conversion put Tavistock ahead 13 -
7. The next fifteen minutes were fairly even, with Kingsbridge fighting
their way back into the match and continuing to look dangerous on the
break. A period of pressure from the home team, led to a five metre
scrum and they forced their way over for a converted try, which put
Kingsbridge back in the lead 14 - 13. Having already lost lock Lee
Easton with a rib injury, Tavistock suffered a further disruption, when
wing Ian Gray had to leave the field with a badly cut head. A further
blow quickly followed, when an indiscretion from a Tavistock player led
to a sin-binning. Kingsbridge continued to apply pressure and took
advantage of the extra man to score a third try with six minutes
remaining. Tavistock refused to lie down and with the forwards again
piling on the pressure, two minutes from time, following a well won
scrum near halfway, scrumhalf Dan Luffman went on a storming solo run
which took him through the home defence to score an excellent
individual try. The conversion drifted wide of the posts. Kingsbridge
controlled play for the last two minutes, leaving them the winners by
one point.
Captain for the day, Darrin Cole had a fine game at lock; Pete Davis
was again in the thick of the action at number eight and the front row
of Tim Child; Will Tomkins and Rob Monk gave their opposite numbers a
thorough examination.
The match, which was a credit to both clubs, was well controlled by
Plymouth based referee, Giles Phillips.
Next week, a break from Merit League action with a friendly, home to Bude, kick off 2.30pm.