Cornwall and Devon

Tavistock firsts 15

Bodmin firsts 13

TAVISTOCK maintained their good home form and turned around last week’s landslide defeat against a Bodmin side who have impressed in recent performances.

Prior to the game TRFC remembered club stalwart Peter Garland, who sadly died in October. With all three senior teams at home, they were to be joined by the ever growing mini section on to the pitch for a minute’s applause and a moment of silence to remember Pete.

Tavistock started excellently as they entertained much of the territory and possession in the Bodmin half. Pressure told after a number of phases led to captain Andrew Schuttkacker bundling over from close range. This did lead to a Bodmin onslaught as Tavistock were pinned back for the remainder of the half. A series of ill-discipline at the breakdown saw penalty after penalty and eventually Adrian Baker going to the bin for a professional foul. These penalties led to Bodmin’s number 10 slotting two penalty goals and missing one, bringing the half time score to 6-5 in favour of the visitors.

With a slight mix around of personnel at half-time, Tavistock arguably scored their try of the season. A deep kick off was collected by Schuttkacker and carried back into the Bodmin half. A series of strong carries and excellent hands between the half back partnership of Andrew Craddock and Andrew Smerdon eventually saw Louis Cockcroft finishing off an excellent sequence of phases, for his first XV score.

Continued pressure and the addition of a Cornish yellow card for an off the ball incident saw Tavistock looking more and more threatening but an element of handling errors killed any continuity. Adrian Baker was deemed to have been held up on the Bodmin line but only shortly before Ben Hadfield fly hacked through to be held metres short for substitute hooker Charlie Charlton to squeeze through a gap and get over the white wash for his first score of the campaign.

With 10 minutes to play and the Devonians two scores up the game looked pretty set in stone. Bodmin had other ideas as they bragged much of the possession and after a lengthy attack and good defence by Tavistock, the Cornishman finally found a gap to make it a tense finish.

A series of penalties won at the break down by Hammy Kerswill and Callum Thompson seemed to tie the game up but on both occasions Bodmin retained possession and looked favourites to win. Luckily Sam Smerdon was on hand to put in a fine one on one try saver and induce a penalty with moments to go to see Tavistock through for the win.

Andrew Craddock picked up the man of the match accolade for his efforts in defence.