Tavistock Colts 12
Ivybridge Colts 3
DESPITE struggling to get a full team until late in the week, the Colts put in a much improved performance to run out worthy winners in a tense, exciting match.
Ivybridge opened the scoring with a penalty and held this lead until half-time but it was clear the Tavistock team were determined to win — they took the game to Ivybridge throughout the second half.
The back row of Boreham, Derges and Gorman had the edge in speed to the breakdown which inspired the rest of the pack to show good ball retention skills and rucking technique.
Tavistock's first try came after a threequarter break when flanker Gorman sped through a gap to touch down. Child, at scrum-half, had a quiet first half but grew in confidence in the second and put stand-off Smerdon though a gap in the middle to see him continue the break past the back row and full back to touch down under the posts for Rowe to convert.
Ivybridge had plenty of ball in midfield, only to be thwarted by aggressive tackling from Smerdon, Braithewaite, Lobban, Stribley, Dumper and Bolt. Second row Wadland took some excellent lineout ball against tall opposition, helped by accurate throwing by hooker Branfield.
It has become a feature of this team for Vince and Wheatley to increase the tempo of their game in the second half and inspire their tiring colleagues to greater things. This was heralded by a crunching tackle into touch by Vince on the speeding Ivybridge wing. One could see the Ivybridge heads go down and the Tavistock heads come up.
Away to Saltash this week.