Devon 2 League Salcombe 17 North Tawton 14 THE North Tawton squad for this fixture showed a number of changes to last week?s team with the return of several players, some from injury. This meant the players took time to settle into their game and they absorbed the predictable early pressure from Salcombe very well, until caught offside in front of their posts. Fortunately for North Tawton Salcombe?s fly half missed the chance of early points from the penalty kick. The home side pressed their advantage and attacked again with a good move from their strong three-quarter line which let the left wing Tim Bailey in for a try in the corner, which was not converted. From the restart North Tawton took the game into Salcombe?s half and worked themselves close to the opposition try line following a penalty kick to touch. The penalty throw was defended by Salcombe. They penetrated to Tawton?s 5 metre line where a scrum was disrupted and the loose ball fell to Salcombe?s hooker Symon Cater to drive over for a try. Once again Drew missed the kick to the posts, leaving the score at 10-nil to the home side. North Tawton was again dominant in the set scrums. In the loose play it was Salcombe who had the edge, particularly in the mauls. However, it was a characteristic strong drive by Tawton?s Neville Phillips which gained them ground in the centre of the pitch and the ball was released to the threes. A neat chip through by centre Charlie Ewen almost made a try for Alfie May as he followed up to the corner, but the Salcombe pack set up an impressive driving maul to push the attack back. Salcombe broke out with a good arcing run but the defensive tackling from Tawton was sound and the attack was snuffed out. Tawton?s Matt Weekes was playing well at fly half. A good pass from him to Charlie Ewen gave the centre space for another accurate chip through which again took the attack to Salcombe?s 5 metre line. They thought they had cleared to touch but a quick throw in by North Tawton set up another attack and a carbon-copy charging run by tireless second row Phillips put Tawton back on the front foot. This time Salcombe were able to clear properly with a huge kick to the half way line by Drew, who had now found his kicking boots. The second half display by North Tawton turned this into one of their best matches of the season. It was now Tawton?s scrum who were mauling better, with better organisation and effect, and the added determination was exemplified at a Salcombe penalty on Tawton?s 5 metre line. Having failed to breach the Tawton line with tries Salcombe attempted an ambitious long range penalty kick to the posts. This fell short and was cleared well to touch by Phil Elkins. An excellent break by new winger Simon Weekes nearly led to a try by the right touchline, but he was held up 5 metres out. The defending line out for Salcombe was taken apart by the Tawton pack and Number 8 Steven King drove through for a deserved try for the visitors. A good conversion from Tom Davis took the score to 10-7 to Salcombe, and Tawton were very much in the match. Salcombe were quick to respond and breached the stretched Tawton defence with a third try, which was converted to take them ahead again to 17-7. North Tawton came back strongly in the final stages as Salcombe seemed to tire. In the final minutes a neat take and drive off a scrum by Tawton?s King set up a driving maul the equal of anything Salcombe had produced earlier and drove them back about 20 metres. Now within striking distance of the try line, Pierce threw in a good ball to a Tawton line out and looped round to take the lay-off and set up another maul. This was brilliantly controlled and flanker Phil Elkins was able to break off and score Tawton?s second try. Tom Davis stepped up to convert, leaving the final score at 17-14 to the home side.
