Western Counties West

Tavistock 23

Ivybridge 30

THE league leaders left Sandy Park with the full five points but did not have it all their own way.

Tavistock made the early running and a break by Lewis Edwards from his own half saw him get to the opposition 22 before he was tackled out. This was quickly followed by a break by Andy Schuttkacker and his offload put Danny Luffman away down the wing but the chance was lost as his pass was knocked on by Lewis Edwards with the try line begging.

Further Tavistock possession saw Edwards and Ben Hadfield away but the attacks petered out. This seemed to kick Ivybridge into action and after a period of possession they won a penalty and kicked their first points on the board.

This lead did not last long as an infringement gave Tavistock the chance to level and the trusty boot of Rich Goldsby-West put the ball through the posts. The visitors hit back but good tackling by Lloyd James and Dougie Lloyd kept them at bay until the ball was worked out from a ruck for the visitors to go over in the corner for their first try.

Tavistock rallied on the visitors 22 and the ball was worked wide to Danny Luffman who burst through the visitors defence before offloading to full back Harry Dawe to go over for the try.

The visitors almost regained the lead straight away but a great saving tackle by Lewis Edwards halted them. A loose ball from a lineout was then picked up by Ivybridge and was quickly worked across the pitch for them to touchdown in the corner. They then increased their lead as their scrum half exploited a gap in the home defence to burst through and touchdown under the posts.

Tavistock hit back and following a steal at a ruck by Duncan Law, Danny Luffman side stepped through a couple of tacklers before out pacing the defence to go round and touchdown. Rich Goldsby-West converted to leave Tavistock trailing by five points at half time.

The second half saw both sides swapping possession but unable to capitalise on it as ferocious tackling kept the chances few and far between. This went on for some time until Tavistock got a penalty. Rich Goldsby-West's kick for touch took them to within 10 metres of the opposition line and from the lineout Tavistock set up a maul which they drove over with Lloyd James getting the vital touchdown that levelled the scores.

The visitors were now stuck in their own half and after Tavistock had wrested possession from them, they were awarded a penalty which Rich Goldsby-West put over for Tavistock to take the lead for the first time.

The lead did not last long as the visitors set up a maul from a lineout in the Tavistock 22 from which they drove the Tavistock line for a try which they converted. They further increased their lead with three points from a penalty soon after.

With Tavistock tiring, the visitors put the pressure on and only desperate defending kept them out. A break by Mark Friend from near his own line enabled him to evade tackles but he ran out of steam and support in the visitors half and the chance was gone.

More desperate defending was required as back came the visitors but the Tavistock defence held out to claim a losing bonus point from a thoroughly entertaining match.