North Tawton 13 - Crediton Seconds 0

NORTH Tawton invited the Crediton Second team to Taw Meadow on an autumnal Friday night to play under the floodlights.

A large crowd of both home and travelling fans watched an enthralling game played out between too evenly matched sides but it has to be said that it was the home team that shone the brightest under the lights.

Not only did they take a well-deserved if not somewhat unexpected victory they nailed the "big boys from up the road”, no mean feat.

The game started with both teams sussing each other out with most of the first five minutes or so played in the North Tawton half, the away side testing the Tawton defence, a defence it has to be said they found to be solid all game from the scrums the rucks and mauls.

It was a well organised effort that time after time denied the Crediton attack.

With the North Tawton backs getting into the game some handling errors by Crediton, the Tawts captain made the first break and Ryan Goss put the first points on the board with the missed conversion, the home side take a 5-0 lead.

Crediton seemed to up the intensity, looking for a try of their own, but it was not long before another misdemeanour gave North Tawton three more points in the shape of a penalty, 8-0.

The travelling faithful are a bit quiet at the minute, North Tawton giving them nothing to cheer about.

We go into half time with an 8-0 score.

From the neutrals view the second half was better than the first, both teams playing with a lot more freedom, both teams playing some good quick rugby that would not shame any game.

Crediton are desperate to get on the score board to get a foot hold in the game but North Tawton busting a gut to keep them out.

For all the hard tackles going in the game, from a spectator’s point of view, it was played in good spirits.

North Tawton find themselves on the Crediton “22” line with a scrum, North Tawton despite the smaller size pack have given a good account of themselves and a great push with almost everybody joining in push over for the Tawts second try taking us to 13-0.  Brad Hudson the scorer.

The Crediton heads never dropped, they threw the kitchen sink at North Tawton but, as the score board tells you, to no avail.

Somehow the home team held on.

They did finish the last three minutes with 13 men, the ref judging that some of the defence work was a little bit too inventive, but the final score and a big win for a North Tawton team growing in confidence says it all, 13-0.

MoM, two this week, Mike Young and James Miller could not be separated.

Chris Phare