North Tawton 10

Exeter Saracens seconds 25

AFTER a hectic start North Tawton settled and had a chance of early points from a long-range penalty. This unfortunately missed and Saracens responded immediately with a well-struck penalty punt taking them to Tawton's five metre line. After several phases of mauling play, defended well by Tawton, Saracens broke through for a try by centre Matt Sparrow; the conversion was missed, giving the visitors a 5-0 lead.

Another attack by Saracens was held up by good defence from Tawton, notably a crunching tackle by hooker Dave Gibbs, and the home side set up an attack of their own.

Good picking and driving in the loose took Tawton into Saracens' 10 metre area where they conceded a penalty for David Fewings to convert and bring the score to 5-3 to the visitors. The next score went to the Exeter side when they took a scrum 10 metres from Tawton's line; they moved the ball well to their right wing Andy Forbes Brown who went over in the corner; again the conversion was missed.

North Tawton had a chance of further points when centre Fewings made a break and almost got through. It was Saracens who had the last say of the half however, when they were awarded a penalty and Keiran Burrows converted to make it 13-3 to Saracens at the break.

Early in the second half Saracens' strong-running centre Sparrow rounded off a move with another try, converted by Burrows, to extend their lead to 20-3.

The Tawton reaction was positive and a well placed grubber kick took them to a lineout close to the visitors' line. The defence held out but good mauling by Tawton's number eight Steve King and a break by the centres kept them in the game. Another break off the scrum by King, supported well by Dan Dennis on the flank, where he had an outstanding game, and a good take at a lineout kept up the pressure on the Saracens' line but errors in the play let them off the hook.

The game went to uncontested scrums as a Tawton front row player had to leave the field with a head injury. It was from a loose ball off the back of a lineout that the next score came as Tawton's scrum half Dave Quick collected the ball well and shot a neat pass to Fewings in the centre. He broke through the defenders to score a good individual try under the posts and duly converted it to take Tawton to 10-20.

Although Tawton played well, with some encouraging combinations between forwards and backs, as the match neared its end it was Saracens who had the better of the play. A good attack was rounded off by flanker Steve Easterbrook who went over for a try wide out on the left; the conversion was missed leaving the final score at 25-10 to Exeter Saracens.

This week in the Devon Junior Cup Tawton play Ilfracombe.

* The ticket sales for the 125th anniversary dinner on April 30 are available by contacting Sarah on 01837 82704 or Helen on 01837 82869.