Devon Colts shield

Tavistock Colts 12

THIS was a really gutsy and determined performance by Tavistock Colts against a committed Exeter Chiefs side in the semi-final of the Devon Colts Shield. 

In the first half Chiefs started the brighter and were the more eager of the two sides early on; they were continually first to the breakdown and, due to their tenacity, took a deserved early lead. 

The Tavistock side responded with great courage and fought their way back into the game.  They closed Chiefs down in every area of the pitch and began to force errors.

With Tavistock in the ascendancy the equaliser soon followed thanks to Sam Northmore breaking through from a well-worked penalty. 

The second half proved to be feisty and was a test of the nerves and resilience of both teams, and while neither team reached the same level of intensity that they had achieved in the first half, there were two telling moments. 

The first was a try saving tackle by Tavistock number 10 Dave Milligan who successfully chased from the Chiefs 22 to the Tavistock try line to make a superb tackle.  The other was a superb breakthrough by Luke Northmore who ran the length of the pitch and scored the winning try under the posts.  Dave Milligan added the conversion. 

While this was not the best rugby played this season, it was the most competitive.  Tavistock were deserved winners and will play the final at home this weekend.