Powergen Junior Vase quarter-final

Mount?s Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Tavistock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

TAVISTOCK?S dream of playing at Twickenham ended on Saturday in Penzance when they eventually succumbed to Mount?s Bay.

But not before they had kept their ambition alive for 70 minutes of a pulsating game ? with ten minutes remaining they were one point ahead.

At this point Tavistock were on the attack and from a lineout the pack drove toward the Mount?s Bay line for a score which, with the conversion, would have put their hosts eight points adrift with time running out. But Mount?s Bay managed to repulse the drive and broke away to score a try and turn the match in their favour.

The Tavistock game plan was executed perfectly from the start as they used their big forwards to drive the ball at Mount?s Bay?s midfield defence around the fringes of rucks and mauls.

In this area Tavistock were well served by back row forwards Dean Shipton and Tom Dawe, who time and again made the hard yards with some bruising runs.

In addition, the Tavistock lineout functioned well, where Andy Hunt in particular was at his daunting best, and provided clean possession.

When Mount?s Bay did mount attacks they did so via their threequarters but found their space closed down where open side flanker Paul Greenhill was in great form.

From their early pressure Tavistock were awarded two penalties, neither of which they were able to convert. But on 25 minutes Tavistock took the lead when skipper Lee Greatrex was able to squeeze over after pressure from the forwards. Full back Josh Sutton converted.

With the large crowd of travelling supporters giving great vocal support Tavistock kept up the pressure and were rewarded when ex-Cornwall prop Steve Rush, playing his most influential game for the club since his return in January, crashed over for a try.

But with time running out in the half, Mount?s Bay got the score they needed to keep themselves in the game when winger Adam Redgrave went over for an unconverted try.

Eight minutes into the second half, Mount?s Bay added a second unconverted try through winger Charles Boddard. Two minutes later Mount?s Bay squeezed into a one-point lead with a James Trezise penalty.

But Tavistock stormed back and skipper Greatrex was unlucky not to make the corner with a superb run along the right-hand touchline. Tavistock did retake the lead with a try through centre Mike Lyddon, which unfortunately was not converted. Mount?s Bay reduced the arrears to one point via a second Trezise penalty.

In the final ten minutes Mount?s Bay secured victory with tries through Spear, Redgrave and Boddard the size of which was rather flattering.

This week see Tavistock continue their drive toward the Devon division 1 title when they host OPOs from Plymouth at Sandy Park, kick off 2.30pm.