Cornwall and Devon

Honiton 15

Tavistock 25

TAVISTOCK made the journey to the league leaders expecting a tough battle.

The visitors began brightly testing the home team's defence, probing around the fringes with playmaker Richard West keeping Honiton pinned in their own half. Tavistock knew that they would have to weather the storm and props Matt Martin and Adrian Baker showed their quality by leading the Tavistock scrum superbly resulting in winning the opposition's ball at the breakdown.

Tavistock now dominating the possession began creating opportunities with wingers Will Glover and Charlie Furnival keeping Honiton on the back foot. The first score came after a solid scrum; number eight Andrew Griffiths controlled the ball at the base, the ball was spun out and West fed Tristrum Woods who showed excellent pace and body strength to smash over the last man and reach the line to touch down, West converted to make it 0-7. Strangely, Tavistock then went off the boil. From the restart Tavistock gifted Honiton a cheap penalty which they converted 3-7.

Tavistock were fading out of the game, allowing Honiton to be the aggressors. The Tavistock pack were struggling to deal with their strong runners and were slipping off tackles. Fullback Freddie Thompson made two massive hits to break up the Honiton attacks, but holes were starting to appear and Honiton converted an overlap to score in the right corner to make it 8-7.

Tavistock's focus was now on surviving until half time. Mark Friend and Lloyd James worked tirelessly to gain ground around the rucks, providing Ewan Smith with forward momentum. Smith's passing found his runner with accuracy, giving West time to pull the strings.

Tavistock had looked to have made it to half time without conceding further points; however with the last play of the half the opposition fullback took advantage of some poor concentration and scored a lovely individual try to make it 15-8.

After half-time Tavistock came back out a galvanised team and tore into the opposition at every opportunity. Again West played the conditions perfectly and kept Tavistock in the right positions. Ross Batton played his usual aggressive brand of rugby and added his weight to the breakdowns as a fourth back-rower with some success.

Tavistock got themselves back into the match with a well-executed catch and drive lineout, James Bruna and Andrew Kaka dominated the airways. Smith controlled the forwards guiding them to the line with Duncan Law the try scorer.

It was now one way traffic as Tavistock stamped their authority on the game and Honiton were now giving away penalties, West knocked one over to level the scores 15-15.

Tavistock were soon back in the Honiton half and again were starving them of the ball. Bruna was steeling lineout ball at will and rode the forward pack chariot to score another pushover catch and drive try. West converted for 15-22 to the visitors.

Tavistock stretched their lead with another West penalty to put Honiton two scores behind 15-25.

In the last five minutes Tavistock were searching for another try which would give them a bonus point. Furnival thought he had unlocked the defence as he bombed down the wing only for the fullback to kill the ball; the referee had no option but to send him to the bin. With no time available for the lineout Tavistock threw the ball out wide but could not recycle the ball quickly enough and the game was called to a halt.