Powergen Junior Vase third round
Tavistock 15
Bude 34
BUDE are sitting at the top of the Devon and Cornwall League, but Tavistock were not going to show their visitors any respect and set to the challenge with a passion.
Tavistock?s first half was spent defending their line. With little ball possession they did their best to minimise the threat from a well-organised Bude.
Intelligent running from Bude?s Australian fly half created space for the backs and after ten minutes the full back joined the line to create the extra man, scoring in the corner. A penalty in front of the posts allowed him three more easy points.
Two more tries from the Bude backs and two from their forwards before half-time showed their dominance in the first half. Tavistock made several forays upfield in the last ten minutes of the half. and began to look more comfortable in possession.
Improved rucking from the Tavistock forwards ensured they hung on to the increased possession, and a beautifully taken penalty by fly half Chris Woods gave them some reward before half-time.
Tavistock looked hungry from the restart. But the Bude scrum half took advantage of a rare second half opportunity and another converted try increased Tavistock?s task.
Tavistock?s influential centre Barney Dunstan went off with a knee injury and Gareth Davies made a welcome comeback. Tavistock forwards Matt Cole, Andy Hunt and Rob Monk began to take the ball on, gaining valuable ground as they brushed aside Bude?s clutching hands. Flanker Paul Williams, winger Simon Beatty, full back Mark Baker and scrum half Lee Greatrex made some darting runs and centre Mike Lydden changed the angles of running to good effect.
Tavistock looked in control and a score seemed imminent. After sustained pressure, quick ball from a ruck went through the hands to Beatty on the wing. Stopped just short of the line, he popped it to Woods on the crash for a great try in the bottom corner. But the referee failed to see the ball go over the line and the try was not allowed.
The try did come almost immediately, though, a maul five yards from the Bude line gave the pack a chance to show their mettle and they powered over with replacement prop Steve Langdon cradling the ball.
Bude attacked straight from the kick-off and threatened close to Tavistock?s line.
He turned on the pace and showed Bude a clean pair of heels to score under the posts.
But time was running out for Tavistock and Bude?s first half performance was enough to see them clear.
This week Tavistock play Sidmouth at home in a crucial battle for the top of the Devon I League.