Merit league division two 

Kingsbridge seconds 19

Tavistock seconds 18

THE result of this top of the table match was in doubt, right up to the final whistle. The two well matched teams produced a gripping game, full of commitment and no little skill. 

Kingsbridge played down the slope in the first half, with their speedy three-quarters always looking dangerous when they had the ball in hand. It needed some stout defending from Tavistock to keep them at bay.

Ian Gray, Tom Charlesworth, Martin Credicott, Haydon Biddle, Tom Friend  and Wil Tomkins all produced a number of important tackles to keep the home side out.

A missed tackle eventually led to Kingsbridge scoring a converted try after 27 minutes, to give them the lead.

Despite kicking away a lot of their possession, Tavistock then started to make some inroads into the opposition half with the forwards putting the home side under increasing pressure but without creating many clearcut scoring chances.

Kingsbridge were starting to incur penalties and Credicott kicked two of them, although crucially, a third rebounded from the post. Halftime arrived with the home side leading 7- 6, but with Tavistock now starting to look the dominant side. 

Tavistock started the second half as they had finished the first and after five minutes some good driving play from the forwards, quick ball to the backs saw centre Jon Bellamy cut through the home defence for a fine try.

Credicott's conversion put Tavistock ahead 13-7.

The next 15 minutes were fairly even, with Kingsbridge fighting their way back and continuing to look dangerous on the break.

A period of pressure from the home team, led to a five metre scrum and they forced their way over for a converted try, which put Kingsbridge back in the lead 14-13. 

Having already lost lock Lee Easton with a rib injury, Tavistock suffered a further disruption, when wing Ian Gray had to leave the field with a badly cut head. A further blow quickly followed, when an indiscretion from a Tavistock player led to a sin-binning.

Kingsbridge continued to apply pressure and took advantage of the extra man to score a third try with six minutes remaining.

Tavistock refused to lie down and with the forwards again piling on the pressure, two minutes from time, following a well won scrum near halfway, scrumhalf Dan Luffman went on a storming solo run which took him through the home defence to score an excellent individual try.

The conversion drifted wide of the posts. Kingsbridge controlled play for the last two minutes, leaving them the winners by one point. 

Captain for the day, Darrin Cole had a fine game at lock; Pete Davis was again in the thick of the action at number eight and the front row of Tim Child; Will Tomkins and Rob Monk gave their opposite numbers a thorough examination.

The match was a credit to both clubs.