OPM seconds 24
Tavistock RFC seconds 29
THE first 20 minutes saw Tavistock defending for long periods but they held firm and after weathering the pressure, Tavistock started to gain the ascendency and wing Tom Charlesworth opened the scoring with a try.
After 28 minutes, Charlesworth and skipper Will Tomkins were both injured in the same passage of play and had to be taken off. Despite this setback, Tavistock were next to score when Credicott was on hand to take a scoring pass at the end of a good attacking phase. However, lack of concentration from the restart, saw OPM quickly reply with a converted try.
Tavistock went back on the offensive and after fine runs from Andrew Schuttkacker and Ed Kivell, Steve Luffman scored a third try for Tavistock, giving them a half-time lead of 15-7. Tavistock continued to control the game for the next 20 minutes and number eight Jude Rotton scored a further try, after a typical strong run, with Credicott adding the conversion.
At 22-7, the game looked to be over. However, one of the Tavistock front row had a coming together with his opposite number and the referee sin binned him for 10 minutes. Then, Tavistock flanker Ed Kivell, who had been having a fine game, went off with a rib injury and during the next 15 minutes, OPMs scored three tries, one converted, for them to take the lead 24-22.
Despite having run out of replacements, Tavistock forwards, with flanker Pete Davis prominent, continued to press in the last few minutes and two minutes from time, another good driving maul from the pack, saw Jude Rotton force his way over the try line. Credicott added a good conversion from the touchline and Tavistock clinched a deserved victory.
n Next week the 2nds are at home to Teignmouth in another Merit league game.