Devon one north and east

Honiton 28

North Tawton 3

AN early penalty offence by North Tawton, caught offside, gave Honiton's Nick Gilbert the chance of the first three points.

The home side kept up the early pressure with good recycling of the ball from contact, and a break by their prop Barry Lock outflanked Tawton's defence with a surprising turn of pace to run in a try. This was not converted, leaving Honiton eight points up.

Tawton rallied well and in the set scrums had Honiton on the back foot, forcing a penalty about 30 metres out, which David Fewings converted.

Honiton set up a good three-quarter move and only a good try-saving tackle by Tawton's fly half, Rob North held them out.

From a good lineout take by Paul Turner Tawton's forwards set up a driving maul, making ground until Honiton were penalised again. This time the penalty kick was just wide.

Honiton were quickly back on the offensive and Tawton held up their progress with a scrambled maul about five metres from their line. The Honiton scrum was pinged for feeding by their scrum half but Tawton failed to clear adequately. Honiton regained possession and a neat short pass to centre Sampson, running a good angle, put him through for a try. Once again the conversion was missed and the score moved on to 13-3 to the home side.

The strength of Honiton's loose play kept Tawton pegged back in their own half. A good tackle from Graham Sage out on the left wing prevented another possible try, and a cool catch and kick out of defence by full back Bill Sharp gained them ground.

Apart from one chance from a break by number eight Steve King from a Tawton scrum driving forward, forcing their way to the Honiton ten metre line, they had little impact in the latter part of the first half. It was Honiton who closed out the play with another strong run by Lock to break the defence for his second try, leaving the half time score at 18-3 to Honiton.

A good set scrum by North Tawton at the start of the second period forced Honiton off their own ball and a determined follow up took Tawton to the 22 metre line. Then it was Honiton who turned the tables on Tawton with a good drive from their own pack. Once again prop Lock broke away, to be finally chased down by Tawton's Mike Young,

There followed a spell when both sides made errors in their play, resulting in the repeated sound of the referee's whistle, and a state of stalemate in the action. From a Honiton line out on the Tawton ten metre line, the ball was wrestled from the maul, but Tawton could not clear their lines and a free kick gave Honiton the chance to outflank the Tawton line and the right wing went over for a try out wide. Again the conversion missed, but Honiton had stretched their lead to 23-3.

An attack down the right was held up by the Honiton defence, and their clearance took play back to the Tawton half. From a penalty conceded five metres from the Tawton line Honiton set-up another passing move and again Tawton's cover defence was drawn in to leave room for the right wing to slip through for Honiton's final try.

North Tawton finished well, with a rare visit to the Honiton 22 metre area and two lineout chances. From one of these a Turner take again set up a good drive for the Tawton pack and they kept Honiton pinned back.

This week North Tawton are at home to North Devon rivals Ilfracombe.