MATCH REPORT – SATURDAY 8th MARCH 2014 TORQUAY ATHLETIC 24 v KINGSBRIDGE 43 Kingsbridge maintained their push for promotion with a convincing second half performance against a Torquay side which was unable to sustain a good first half display during that second period. The High House outfit remain nine points behind a play-off place, currently occupied by Teignmouth, although Kings’ have two games in hand on their rivals. Truro and Burnham are the other Teams in the mix, with Ivybridge out in front. Once again Tics cause was affected by injuries, with the influential Matt Williamson and fly-half Tony McCarthy both missing. The first half had a non- stop ebb and flow to the scoring, with the match played in bright sunshine on a firm pitch with very little breeze. From the kick-off Gloucester Society Referee Charlie Gayther penalised Torquay for holding on to the ball in the tackle and visiting outside centre Ashley Treeby (son of former Tics full-back Tony Treeby) opened his side’s account with a penalty from 33 metres out. 0 – 3. However from a good drop-out re-start by Alex Jeffery Torquay forwards were able to shepherd the Kings ball-catcher straight into touch 23 metres from the try line. A good driving maul moved infield where Rupert Edwards had a dart on the open side from 5 metres, which led to quick ruck ball and a switch to the “blind” where Jonathan Woodhead dived over a mass of bodies to touch down. Jeffery converted for a lead, which Torquay would not lose during the first period. That lead increased to 10 – 3 after 8 minutes when Jeffery slotted a long range penalty from 40 metres in front of the posts. The re-start saw another penalty award to Kings’ wide to the left of the posts, but for the first and only time Treeby was to miss the kick. However, he soon had another chance when Torquay’s backs were caught out of position on a chip through. Rupert Edwards reacted first and got back close to his line beneath the posts but without support arriving quick enough he was pinged for holding on, when tackled and Treeby had a simple task to add three points for 10 – 6. Once again the re-start heralded an immediate response by Tics when Kingsbridge went offside. With the scrum working well Torquay decided to pack down 5 metres out from the Kingsbridge line. In a sequence of four consecutive scrums in this location the home eight put pressure on the visitors, who the Referee decided were guilty of boring in three times. When it happened again Mr. Gayther ran between the posts to signal a home penalty try. He also yellow carded tight head Mike Powell. With a routine conversion it was 17 – 6 at the mid-way point of the half. Bizarrely the re-start kick again led to the receiving Team being penalised. Tics forwards infringed after the kick was knocked on and Treeby had a short range kick to reduce the arrears to 17 – 9. At this point Torquay were playing well with ball in hand and their forwards were keeping possession comfortably to set up decent field position, with a mixture of driving mauls and pick and go’s. However the re-start indiscretions by the home side were costing on the scoreboard. This time Kings’ ran the ball back from the kick-off and Tics were penalised for tackler not rolling away – something Mr Gayther was hot on all afternoon. The penalty this time was kicked to touch 7 metres from Tics’ line down the left. A compelling catch and drive by Kings’ ended with open side flanker Matt Hamilton getting the touchdown, which Treeby converted for 17 – 16. Neither side were learning to master the re-start and this time Kings went offside from the kick after a forward played the ball, when it had bounced forward off a Team mate’s knee. Jeffery kicked the penalty to within 7 metres and the catch and drive moved infield menacingly once again. Temporary replacement Paul Wood got the score with Jeffery converting to keep up a 100% kicking success. It was now 24 – 16 after 30 minutes play. Predictably the re-start brought another quick penalty to Kings’ and a yellow card for home prop Sonny Rowe for not releasing the tackled player quick enough. Kingsbridge tried to repeat the catch and drive routine but this time Torquay’s depleted pack held firm as it did a few moments later at a 5 metre defending scrum. On the stroke of half time Kingsbridge took a strike against the head on half way in midfield. Intelligent running by Skipper and outside centre Ben Glover into the 22’ set up a good passage of passing interplay, finished off by Matt Gibbens. Treeby’s conversion brought the interval with the score at 24 – 23. This timely score seemed to give Kings added momentum and whilst they visibly stepped up a gear after the break, Torquay could not respond in kind and had to be content with defending for long periods. Within 3 minutes Tics were pinged again for holding on to the ball in the tackle, but Kings’ close in lineout catch and drive was once more repelled. This was a short reprieve however, as on 46 minutes scrum half Tristan Couch made a half break from an attacking 5 metre scrum. He fed Glover who ran in close to the posts and Treeby converted to make it 24 – 30. Torquay now used their entire bench in an effort to pep things up with Ben Sharples replacing Carl Turner at hooker (the latter having continued his excellent throwing in from the week before at Truro). Nick Wright replaced Jon Hill in the front row. Spreading the ball wide from right to left Kings’ were denied another try by virtue of “foot in touch” after James Wood had managed a last gasp tap tackle. After a full 20 minutes defensive shift Tics then conceded again. Former Tics scrum-half had come on in the centre for Glover and made an immediate impact by taking the ball on through the middle from the half way line. He evaded some ineffective tackling before putting away winger James Trout to apply the finish. Treeby’s conversion took the score to 24 – 37, at which point pack leader Jonathan Woodhead left the field. Outside centre Alex Brown had been hampered for some time by ligament problems; restricting his mobility, but with no other backs to call on he had to remain on the field. In the final quarter Tics largely continued being pushed back and rarely made any serious inroads inside the opposition 22’. Two more penalties were conceded within kicking range, enabling Treeby to add six more points, bringing the final score to 24 – 43 and his personal tally to 23 points. Whereas Tics had managed to suppress Burnham’s attempted comeback to keep a lead over 80 mimutes a few week’s ago the Team was unable to match Kings’ fitness and application in the second half on this occasion. It may have been that the brave, but taxing display at Truro a week earlier had taken its toll. Torquay might have snatched a draw from that game in the dying minutes. The degree of the efforts by a much depleted squad on that occasion was put into context on this same Saturday, when Truro (at home) put 45 unanswered points on Burnham’ before the visitors were awarded a late compensation penalty try. TORQUAY 15 – Lewis White, 14 – Arron Graham, 13 – Alex Brown, 12 – Andy Gormley, 11 Tom Dicken, 10 – James Wood, 9 – Alex Jeffery, 1 – Jon Hill, 2 – Carl Turner, 3 – Sonny Rowe, 4 – Jake Knight, 5 – Jonathan Woodhead, 6 – Jon Oliver, 7 – Ash Sharp, 8 – Rupert Edwards. Replacements: Nick Wright, Paul Wood, Ben Sharples (all played). The match was kindly sponsored by Sherwell Valley Garages of Torquay and the match ball provided by Mr. Bill Dowell. A large visiting crowd is expected next week for the home League match v Teignmouth, who currently occupy second place in the League. The kick-off is again @ 3.00 pm. The 12.30 pm kick-off time in the Italy v England match should allow supporters from both sides time to take in that vital Six Nations tie before-hand. Both this and the France v Ireland game starting @ 5.00 pm will be screened at the Clubhouse. Elsewhere the Quins travelled to play a Merit Table 2 match v a strong Kingsbridge II’s. The Quins competed well for two thirds of the match, before succumbing to the fact that a number of players were having to perform out of position. It was felt that the final score of 41 – 0 slightly flattered the home side. The Colts hosted probable favourites Ivybridge Colts in the first leg of a semi-final Devon Colts Knockout Cup tie at TVN. Ivybridge won 10 – 22 so the young Tics face an uphill struggle to overcome that deficit at Ivybridge in two weeks time. Tics points came from a try by Dan Lloyd, conversion by Jamie Hext and a penalty by Jack Taylor.
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 15:29:10 +0000
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