TAVISTOCK still await their first away victory after a bruising encounter with fourth place Honiton.

The eventual score line perhaps does not reflect what was a highly competitive game. Opting to go up the notable slope in the first half, Tavistock started the more positive stringing together a number of phases with new fly half option Andrew Craddock orchestrating. Unfort-unately for the Moorlanders they lost Mark Friend to a dead leg just three minutes in, which saw captain Andrew Schuttkacker move to the centre in the reshuffle.

Honiton came back into the game strongly and scored two quick tries after sucking in the Tavistock defence — creating a difficult overlap to defend in doing so.

A fine penalty on the stroke of half time saw Honiton go in 17-0, a score that was about par for the pitch advantage.

The second half once again saw Tavistock with much possession. Set piece was a stalemate but Tavistock probably had the better of their equally matched opposition. A forward pass prevented a potential score for the away side on what was a second half that alternated dominance throughout.

A further Honiton penalty from their ‘100% kicker’ put them 20 points up but Tavistock still offered a fight.

Unfortunately for the visitors the deadlock could not be broken and Honiton scored a further two tries at the death — not before preventing Tavistock leaving with a score from five metres.

* Many of the Tavistock Rugby Football Club partook in the ever growing Movember charity again this year. Club members grew moustaches to raise awareness of men’s health and in doing so have bettered last year’s tally of £265 by raising £360 going to the charity!