WITH Jabby electing to stay in the warm and dry this week I have found the old pencil to write a few words about Saturday, December 3’s game against Torquay.

It’s hard to know what to write. The stark fact is you have North Tawton in the bottom two of the league travelling to Torquay who sit firmly in the top two and it also should be noted that the Tawts travelled with the bare 15, no subs.

The feeling you got from the Torquay terrace was it was going to be somewhat of a runout and the home players and supporters alike went into the game full of confidence of a big win, well depleted Tawton might be considered pushovers, they aren’t.

The game started evenly enough both sides testing out each other with North Tawton just letting Torquay know they had turned up.

Torquay tried to get their quick passing game going and 10 minutes in, the home side strike first with a try, 5-0.

This was followed on 20 minutes with another try, this time with kick added, 12-0.

A missed penalty did not do Tawton any favours and when Torquay ran in their third try, for the only time in the match it did feel like the hosts were going to get their big expected win, 19-0.

North Tawton needed to regroup and convert some of the good passing play and time in the Torquay red zone into points but the home defence was proving hard to get past but a well worked try got James Miller over the line, kick added, it’s 19-7.

Now that the patched up Tawts side had found the try line they went after it again in the same manner and it was Matty Dennis who went over for the visitors second, and now we have a game on, it’s 19-12 at half-time.

The second half got underway and, in truth, North Tawton had the majority of possession and looked dangerous in attack.

This was not what Torquay had in mind for this afternoon but a change of playing personnel from the home team brought on fresh bodies, something Tawton had no answer to with no subs available.

It had its affect, another try takes us to 26-12 but dare I say it still wasn’t comfortable for the home team.

North Tawton were not going to roll over, back they came again, a Tom Stevens try with kick added and it’s 26-19.

We go into the last period of the game, two teams that the casual observer would not recognise the void between league positions, but it has to be said that maybe the Tawton side ran out of steam, players staying on when maybe they should have come off.

With Torquay running out of ideas we got to the final whistle 26-19, far from a drubbing.

With the greatest respect to the 15 that took to the field, North Tawton can’t expect to take on sides like Torquay with a bare squad, bearing in mind the quality of players that are missing due to injury, it’s not ability that’s missing in this side it’s a bit of commitment to make yourself available to play.

North Tawton, with a full side out, I firmly believe are more than capable of beating any team in this league.

As for this game, every player who pulled on the smart white away shirt for the Tawts should be proud of the performance.

Man of the match was awarded to James Miller for his strong carries from the pick and goes off the bottom of the rucks, although every forward has a strong game.

Next is the last home game before Christmas vs Devonport Services II.

Chris Phare