NORTH TAWTON 31 - PLYMSTOCK ALBION OAKES 32

THE last home game of the season against a strong Plymstock side finished in another last kick of the match story that pretty much sums up the whole season for the hard working North Tawton team.

If you go back over the recent results, if the last kick had gone the Tawts way, they would be a lot higher up the league table than where they sit now.

Alas it wasn’t to be and again with the conversion being missed from, it has to be said, a very difficult position the Tawt’s lost another tight game that, with some great “never say die” attitude and determination should have given them the win.

Plymstock Albion Oakes more than played their part in what proved to be a really good game of rugby.

In truth the one point win showed how equal both teams were.

At 15 minutes into the game, it was still 0-0 with most of the play being conducted in the away team’s half.

You felt that the Tawts were going to strike first but in fact it was the Plymstock side that went over for the first of the 10 tries scored in this game.  Conversion added, the visitors took a 0-7 lead.

From the restart North Tawton upped the tempo and with Jordan Cornthwaite on fine form making ground every time he got the ball, it was a quick reply when he went over for the first of his brace, a missed kick giving us 5 -7.

Now that we had got into scoring, Plymstock were never going to go away all afternoon.

With some good passing play and beating the home side at the breakdown soon added two more tries, one being converted to take the score to 5-19.

You had to say the visitors looked like they were taking control of the game  but don’t write off North Tawton as they have all season.

Their heads never go down, and so it was back they came, a try by Tom Chisholm with the kick bringing them right back and it’s 12-19.

Jordan Cornthwaite, after a fine run, slipped tackles as he went, bringing the scores level at 19 apiece.

It didn’t get any easier and the Tawts lost their hard working scrum half to a nasty knock on the ankle which mean’t a bit of a re-jig.

It wasn’t long before the Plymstock side regained their two try lead.

Both kicks missed, but a penalty chucked in for good measure, we go into the final quarter with the away side leading 19-32.

Hold on to your hats folks the Tawts ain’t finished yet.  Back they come with more determination, a Brad Hudson try, with kick, gets them back to 26-32 and as of previous week’s they look the stronger side.

Right at the death Tom Chisholm got over the line for his second of the day, it’s 31-32.

Kick to come, the missed kick greeted by cheers of relief by the players and fans alike from Plymstock tells you that they, who must have thought they had the game in the bag at least twice before, were more than glad to hear the final whistle.

Not all bad news for the Tawts, they picked up two bonus points that will do them no harm at the final reckoning.

Chris Phare