Devon Merit league

Cullompton thirds 0

Tavistock seconds 26

TAVISTOCK travelled to Cullompton with only veteran tight-head prop John Wakem, as a regular front row player. Flankers Jake Chinn and Joe Elliott, filled in at loose-head prop and hooker and despite being up against a big experienced Cully front row, the makeshift Tavistock front row put in a superb shift for the whole 80 minutes.

The visitors took the game to Cullompton from the start and after some initial probing by the forwards, good ball from a maul in the home 22, saw quick hands along the backs, ending in number eight Mark Friend scoring the opening try after five minutes. Centre Nick Lane added the conversion.

The first half continued with most of the attacking play coming from Tavistock. Midway through the half, a strong driving maul saw scrumhalf Jon Bellamy emerge from under a heap of bodies to claim the second try. The Tavistock backs were looking dangerous every time they ran the ball and shortly before the interval, a handling move from the threequarters ended with centre Sam Smerdon diving over by the posts. Lane added the conversion, to leave Tavistock leading 19-0 at halftime.

Cullompton came out to give a much improved performance in the second half. They enjoyed the majority of the possession and made numerous strong running bursts from both their forwards and backs, but the Tavistock defence held firm, with the whole side tackling anything that moved.

Tavistock had a limited number of attacking opportunities themselves, but wrong options and some determined defence from the home side prevented any further score, until two minutes from time, when Mark Friend swooped on a loose ball on his own 10 metre line and raced 60 metres through the defence, to score a fine individual try. Lane added the conversion.

This was a good all round team performance by Tavistock. Lock Scott Pluckrose had a fine match while flankers Robin Jones and Callum Thompson were in the thick of the forwards battle. Three-quarters Bellamy, Lloyd, Gregg Fairchild, Lane, Smerdon, Simon Braithwaite and fullback Freddie Thompson, all played their part, in a well earned win.