Devon one

North Tawton 28

Topsham 27

THE final outcome of this match could not have been foreseen as Topsham notched up two early tries — one from number eight Matt Dawes and the second from centre Andy Brown. Both were converted by centre Jack Knowles to put the visitors into a 14-0 lead.

North Tawton's cause was not helped by having a player sin-binned for over-vigorous tackling, and the second try was a direct result of an overlap on the outside allowing Brown to cut back inside and score.

The North Tawton pack was under unaccustomed pressure from a good Topsham unit, but they stuck at their task and took the game back to the visitors. A break by their full back penetrated the Topsham defence but the final pass was knocked on. It was now Tawton's turn to turn the screw and good driving in the loose mauls and recycling of the ball kept Topsham pinned back.

Topsham worked their way back into Tawton territory and a penalty conceded by a Tawton player being off-side in front of the kicker allowed Knowles to land a well-struck penalty and take Topsham into a 17-0 lead at half time. Just before the break Tawton had a second player yellow-carded as he tried to clear a Topsham player lying on the ball in a ruck.

Topsham made the most of the extra player again with a try from close in by fly half Phil Irish, following a scrum almost on Tawton's try-line. Knowles converted to keep up his perfect kicking record.

North Tawton responded with characteristic spirit and an interception by centre Tom Chisholm gave him the space to sprint round a defender and go over under the posts; the conversion by scrum half Jack Phare was good to reduce the deficit and make it 24-7 to Topsham.

Shortly after this Tawton went back down to 14 players, the result of injuries and having used all their substitutes. The game was being evenly contested and tigerish defence by Tawton spurred them on. The home pack started to shove the Topsham unit back.

Another interception by Tawton's full back opened up the Topsham defence and a well timed pass back inside to centre Chisholm gave him a free run to the line for a try; duly converted by Phare.

Topsham then scored a penalty kick by Knowles from the 22 metre line to take the score to 27-14 to the visitors.

A new determination was evident in the Tawton players and they drove into the Topsham half, helped by a good penalty to touch by Phare giving them the lineout 10 metres from Topsham's try line. The ball went loose and a scrum was awarded to Topsham but Tawton drove them back to the line and flanker James Miller pounced on the ball as it spilled from the retreating scrum for a vital try. Phare converted to make it 21-27.

The clinching try came as Chisholm collected a ball ripped out of a loose maul and his pure pace took him round the defenders to go over under the posts for a try, leaving Phare with an easy conversion to earn a well-deserved victory in the final minutes of the game.

Tawton man of the match was Jo Madden in the second row.