Tavistock 1st XI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Torrington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

TAVISTOCK 1st XI had a disappointing start to their league matches. Although Torrington are considered a hard team to beat on their own turf, this fresh and hungry Tavistock side were more than capable of beating the visitors.

This was a game where events seemed to go against Tavistock from the start. Absence and injury resulted in changes to the front row, second row and back row, and further tactical amendments had already been arranged in the light of last week's match.

Despite some disruption to the existing team, Tavistock fielded a strong side, welcoming back 'Stan' Stanniland, Jim Jeffries, Matt Wood, Will Tompkins and Joe Lane.

The first ten minutes of the game were evenly matched with Torrington having the edge with the slope in their favour. Torrington made good ground breaking from the back of scrums and set pieces.

In contrast, Tavistock's strength lay in moving the ball wide. The first scoring opportunity of the game came when the Tavistock three-quarters moved the ball wide from a scrum inside their own half, looping each other to provide extra men in attack.

Hooker Will Tompkins joined the runners and showed great pace and strength to take the ball to the opposition's 22 yard line. Prop Jim Jeffries was in support and dived over the line with the ball, but was judged to have been 'held up' in the tackle.

The home side's disappointment continued as Torrington scored a drive-over try, followed by a series of well-placed penalties.

Tavistock made some penatrating attacks and were eventually rewarded with some penalites. Luck was not on the 'Moorlanders' side, however, and the usually faultless Evans missed several attempts.

Evans soon had the perfect chance to make up for the missed penalites with a fine display of individual skill, resulting in the try of the match just one minute before half time, Tavistock were camped 10 yards from Torrington's try line, the forwards battering the North Devon defence. The ball was swiftly moved out to the three-quarters, where Evans took the ball at Outside-Centre, kicked it through the defenders and pounced over the line for a try, which was converted by Paul Allen.

Tavistock needed only two converted tries to win the game in the second half, but were unable to retain the possession necessary to score. Several times Tavistock's lineout possession was lost and loose ball in rucks and mauls were 'turned over' on more than one occasion.

Against a fit and well-drilled side, Tavistock's forwards showed that their fitness and commitment were lacking. Tavistock should take encouragement from the overall support play and handling skills in the backs, the Tavistock team remains one of the strongest in the Devon 1 League.

Tavistock 2nds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Torrington 2nds .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Tavistock travelled to Torrington having to make changes to the side that won impressively last week with Stan Staniland, Dave Northmore and Matt Wood all moving up to the first XV.

Fly half Adam Bridgewater moved up to scrum half and Chris Straughan came in to the vacant fly half postion with Colin Waites playing his first game of the season in the back row.

For the second week running winger Glen Martyn scored two tries, both of which were scored after the ball was spun wide following good work from the forwards.

Fly half Straughan then drove over after a clever inside pass from Craig Pascoe.

Full back Ambrose McGuire then got in on the ACT helping himself to two tries by hitting the line at pace and finding the gaps in midfield.

Both Adam James and James McDowell pounced on anything loose and Adam was rewarded with a well worked try from the back of a scrum at this point Paul Williams was sin-binned for a late challenge on the opposition scrum half, but this only strengthened the Tavistock resolve and Straughan made a solo break from half way to score close to the posts.

Paul Williams then returned from his 10 minutes enforced rest just in time to score and with the last kick of the game scrum half Adam Bridgewater landed his 5th conversion.