Devon one

North Tawton 3

New Cross 3

HAVING lost heavily to New Cross earlier in this season North Tawton were looking to continue their improvement from last week and put in a strong performance.

After a solid start North Tawton began to exert pressure on New Cross who responded with an impressive driving maul, regaining a lot of ground. They were hampered by being penalised several times for going over the top at rucks, one of these giving Tawton the chance of points from a penalty kick which went wide.

North Tawton made good use of the advantage in terms of territory and drove New Cross back into their 22 metre area. Their best chance came from a set scrum on the five metre line resulting from a good sequence of recycling, but the ball was knocked on and New Cross survived.

The home side were dominating play at this stage but poor handling and unforced errors meant they failed to make the pressure pay. A strong run by wing Glen Walters, spinning out of several tackles, and a number of breaks by centre Gareth Williams also failed to break the defence.

North Tawton finished the half on a positive note with a telling lineout take by Mike Young on New Cross's 22 metre line and a drive to the five metre line but the scores remained 0-0 at the break.

Early in the second half a break down the right wing by North Tawton prop Alfie May, supported on the outside by flanker Dan Dennis, took them back into the visitors' territory. From the lineout the ball was fed to Williams in the centre but he was held up again and New Cross cleared. They were awarded a penalty as North Tawton began to infringe more frequently and an optimistic long range penalty kick from the half way line fell short.

New Cross had a lineout on Tawton's 22 and took play to the five metre line where Tawton held their scrum and cleared the ball. Another penalty opportunity to New Cross from long range had the distance but was off target. North Tawton responded and and although another run by Walters penetrated the defence they were held up.

A speculative kick up field by New Cross was followed up well and as Tawton hesitated in defence they conceded a penalty close to the 22 metre line. This one New Cross converted through their full back to finally open the scoring.

In the closing stages New Cross were again under pressure and conceded a penalty on their 22 metre line; the kick was drawn across the face of the posts. Determined not to lose a match which had been theirs for the taking on several occasions, North Tawton regrouped and drew another penalty from New Cross. Unwisely New Cross chose to discuss this with the ref and gave away 10 metres to bring the kick into comfortable range for North Tawton's fly half to convert the three points and draw the match.