Friendly
Seconds 36
North Tawton 8
A slightly changed North Tawton team took to the field at Rackerhayes. Their first impressions of the opposition as a big, well-drilled team were not wrong and North Tawton had to defend strongly under early pressure.
The play was all in the Tawton half but there were some good three-quarter moves by the visitors; however, the ball was lost in the loose play as Newton Abbot made several turnovers.
After 15 minutes a break by Newton's big centre Dan Vickridge split the defence and he forced his way through for the first try, converted by Gary Lynch. Adventurous running by the Tawton backs kept them in the game, with inside centre Simon Quick doing some excellent work.
Newton Abbot absorbed the pressure, their strength in the tackle holding and preventing them from going to ground.
They had the edge in the maul situation and turned the ball over several times. A chip across the field by Newton bounced away from the Tawton defenders and Newton's full back Damien Milden went over in the right corner for a try. It was converted by Lynch to take Newton Abbot into a 14-0 lead.
A good penalty kick from Tawton's scrum half David Fewings took Tawton back up to the Newton 22 metre line. From the lineout a storming charge by the Tawton forwards led by Steve King and Mike Young took them to five metres from the Newton Abbot line. Another penalty was given and Newton Abbot once again turned the ball over. A break away by Milden saw him run the length of the pitch to touch down for his second try.
Tawton were now very much in the match and a good piece of flanker play by Tawton's Joe Madden and a supporting drive by the forwards resulted in another penalty — David Fewings duly converted to give a 19-3 interval score to the home side.
Early in the second half Newton Abbot extended their lead with another try by their centre, Matt Dadd.
A good break out by Tawton through full back Lawrence McKone, supported by Mike Symons and Graham Sage, took them back to the Newton Abbot 22-metre line, but another long range penalty for Tawton was missed.
The game entered stalemate as both sides indulged in unproductive kicking and running.
Kevin Avery came on as substitute when David Fewings had to leave the field having failed to shake off the effects of an earlier injury. Tawton re-aligned their back line and started to make some progress, first with an attack by Symons and second row James Henshaw, and then a good take and drive from a line -out by the forwards. Newton Abbot held out however and the pace of winger Darren White. took him through for a try, converted this time by Milden, to make it 31-3.
North Tawton made a good break and a slick passing move by the three-quarters put Chris Martin through down the left touchline for Tawton's first try. Newton Abbot winger White again had the speed to outpace the Tawton defence and went in for the final try.
Next week's home match for North Tawton is against league opponents Plymouth Argaum and a win will consolidate Tawton's position at second in the league.