Devon one

New Cross 39

North Tawton 9

READING the final score it was hard to believe that North Tawton,  all be it for a brief period, were ahead in this game.

After going behind to an early try, two Dave Fewings   penalties put them in front 6-5 and it looked to the travelling faithful that after weathering the opening momentum from the home team, North Tawton, could be in for a good afternoon; even a second try by New Cross did not give to much concern and the teams finished the first half 10-6 to the home side.

At this point North Tawton were much in the mix in a ’game of two halves’.   In the second the visitors scored three more points through Dave Fewings from another well taken penalty but were no answer to the four tries scored by a vitalised New Cross.

The home side played some good running rugby and finished the game with a total of six tries and a well deserved bonus point win.  

Tawton struggled to contain the New Cross pack at scrum time and therefore had little clean ball to build any attacks of their own; the lineouts also did not always go to plan so the visitors were always on the back foot for nearly all of the second half.

For the North Tawton supporters it was painful to watch the final 40 minutes, considering the score at half time.

The game at New Cross highlights the need for the coaches to be able to pick the team they want home or away if North Tawton are to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle.