Devon two

North Tawton 62

Plymouth Victoria 0

NORTH Tawton survived a sluggish first half to run out comfortable 62-0 winners against the league's basement club.

The home side made a strong start and a powerful forward drive saw them cross the line in the second minute, only to be held up by some resolute defending.

North Tawton continued to dominate up front and took the lead five minutes later courtesy of some quick thinking by William Sharp. The winger took a quick lineout on half way and after good build up play by the forwards, Will Lethbridge made a break down the wing; the full back offloaded inside to fly half Jamie Stevens who shrugged off two tackles to touch down out wide for an unconverted try.

Plymouth Vics responded well and earned a penalty 25 metres out, only for the resultant kick to drift wide of the posts.

The home side continued to dominate but failed to register another score until the 22nd minute. Mike Young collected an offload from Sharp and barrelled his way to within a metre of the try line, giving Steve King the platform to drive over for a second unconverted try.

Tawton squandered further chances before Cameron Rickerby combined with Young to allow James Miller to run in a third score in the corner, Stevens added the conversion for a 17-0 half time score.

Where they had been wasteful in the first half, Tawton came out firing in the second and added a fourth try two minutes in. Another strong break from Lethbridge gave Rickerby the space to dummy his way over in the corner with the conversion drifting just wide.

The home forwards were dominant at scrum time and got their reward when a strong drive five metres out saw them drive the opposition off their own feed and over their line. Number eight Steve King dropped on the ball for his second try with Stevens adding the conversion.

The visitors had an opportunity to add their first points but the penalty from 30 metres went wide.

Tawton were using the choke tackle to great effect, holding up their opponents and turning over the ball multiple times. A stolen ball saw Jamie Stevens feed Rickerby on the charge who drew the last man before releasing Terry Veacock to score a converted try in the corner.

Plymouth Vics were guilty of playing too much in their own 22 and a loose pass gifted the impressive Young a try, again converted by Stevens.

North Tawton had found some rhythm and following a stolen lineout on half way, the ball found its way to Rickerby who fed Veacock for a carbon-copy of his earlier try. The conversion was missed and the home side led 48-0 with ten minutes remaining.

Lethbridge was rewarded for an afternoon of hard running with a try four minutes from time. A well worked scrum move putting him through a gap in midfield to touch down under the posts for a converted try.

With the game entering its final minute, Mike Young touched down for his second converted try as North Tawton ran out comfortable 62-0 winners.