Cornwall and Devon

Bodmin firsts 18

Tavistock firsts 23

TAVISTOCK travelled into Cornwall for a fixture against struggling Bodmin. If the Moorlanders were to win it would guarantee them a position in the Devon Cornwall league next season.

With a number of positional changes due to injury Tavistock started slowly as Bodmin had two penalty shots at goal, one if which being slotted successfully. This was to be counteracted moments later by Mark Webber who had a fine kicking game.

This seemed to spark life into Bodmin, who scored two soft tries in quick succession. The first of which a catch and drive move and the second an exposure of numbers out wide.

With Tavistock seemingly in trouble Andrew Smerdon scored his first try since returning from Salcombe this season, after an offload from the fit again Charlie Charlton.

Just before the break Tavistock got within a score of their hosts when a successful kick off was won excellently by Tom Charlesworth, making his first first XV game of the season. There were then a number of Bodmin penalties and James Bruna bundling over for a good team try leaving the score at half time 18-13 to the home side.

The second half saw the conditions in the west Devon outfits favour and they made them tell as Webber kicked well from penalties to secure territory. From a resulting line out, successive phases led to a trademark break from Hadfield and Friend, with the latter finishing proceedings with his 14th try of the campaign.

The conversion struck the post and scores were tied at 18-18 with Tavistock looking favourites.

The introduction of Griffiths at the scrum improved the Tavistock set piece, from this, good interplay from Friend and Charlesworth saw Hadfield cross the whitewash for a bonus point score.

The remainder of the game was spent in the Tavistock half as some ill discipline saw Budden and Hadfield go to the sinbin with the Cornish side camped metres short of a match winning score. Numerous scrums and try line defence eventually paid off when a penalty was won by the seven man pack to clear lines up field much to the relief of the travelling support.