Dave Butt trophy

ON the face of it, this game looks like another big loss for the home side but anybody who turned up to watch would surly agree that this was a much better North Tawton performance than previous weeks.

In fact, North Tawton went in at half time leading 17-14 and with real hope of over turning the form book.

At the start an early try by Conner Maithes and the conversion by Dave Fewings gave the home side a much needed lift and a seven point lead — a new look pack being dominant and giving Topsham plenty to think about .

The lead was short lived. Topsham gave a glimpse of what they are capable of when given the room to run their backs; a good run down the wing resulting in a score levelling try 7-7.

North Tawton, with new found confidence in their forwards, upped the tempo and pushed Topsham well back into their own 22 line; a break from Matt Baker, always a good player with ball in hand, went over for Tawton’s second try; a missed conversion meant the home side were 12-7 up.

From the restart the Tawton pack were happy to scrum all day pushing the away side off the ball with some ease so much so that they walked the ball over the line and enable scrum half Jack Phare to drop on the ball for the tawts the third try. A missed kick made it 17-7.

Topsham wasted no time in their reply and are soon up the other end for another well worked try and kick which made the half-time score 17- 14.

A few changes to the Topsham side for the second half gave a different feel to the match and after a lot of pressure the visitors scored another try but missed the conversion to make it 17-19.

This being a dead rubber as its a cup match that tawton cannot qualify any further and not a league fixture the North Tawton coaches were keen to give everybody some game time and took every opportunity to rotate the players on the field. This may be why North Tawton dropped off in the intensity needed to keep a good Topsham side working hard. Topsham ran in three more tries to win 38-17.

North Tawton can take encouragement from their performance that this was a solid base to build on for the forthcoming league campaign.

There were some welcome new faces in the side adding their weight to the forward section and on the wing some quick legs to add to the stalwarts of the side with Si Quick having a good game and Bill Sharp everywhere.

Ryan Goss and Conner Matheis  always looking for work, Jack Phare was solid at nine, things can only get better results wise.

North Tawton were pleased to have Young playing again — who made the quote of the day — ‘they must have changed the rules since last I played.’