TAVISTOCK 25 V TORQUAY ATHLETIC 20 13th SEPTEMBER 2014 This was an unwelcome case of deja vous for Torquay at Tavistock. Last January they had led by 0 – 17 after 25 minutes before being overhauled and beaten by the home side. If anything, this was harder to stomach as Tics held sway during a first half in which they had built up a 0 – 20 lead after half an hour, based on the advantage of estimated possession and territory stats of seventy five per cent, or more. However on the cusp of half time the visitors were not alert to a close in tap penalty by Tavy fly-half Richard Goldsby-West, who scooted in under the posts virtually unopposed. Torquay may have been distracted by Tavy players calling the attention of the Referee to an injured player, but that should not register as an excuse as one should always play to the whistle. Converting his own try Goldsby-West had given his side a crumb of comfort going into the break and within a 16 minute spell either side of half time they had forged into a 21 – 20 lead. It had all started so differently for Tics: Recovering from an eventual scrum time battering the week before versus Okehampton, Torquays eight bossed the set pieces from the outset, pushing Tavistock off their own ball at the first encounter and continuing in that vein for the first forty minutes, or more. On a well grassed pitch in overcast conditions with only a light breeze Tics showed two changes in their starting line-up with James Toffolo replacing Arron Graham on the left wing, as the latter was recovering from a minor operation. In the back row Shane Wakeham replaced James Norrish, who reverted to the bench. Forward Chris Sudworth also came in as a replacement. After an attack involving Tavy’s left wing Will Glover Tics snuffed out the danger and cleared up field. Pressure on the home defence led to three penalty awards in quick succession, the third of which Skipper Alex Jeffery potted at the posts, but it went wide. No matter, on 14 minutes Torquay mauled strongly on Tavy’s 10 metre line and then moved the ball swiftly left to right. Wingman Mike Cavanna took the ball at pace and burst through; his momentum taking him past an attempted high tackle to the posts, enabling a Jeffery conversion to open a lead of 0 – 7. Again Tics put the Tavy set scrum under pressure leading to a breakout and a clearance up field by fly-half Jamie Hext. Tics chase was good and Tavy lay over the ball on the ground giving Jeffery another penalty, through which he stretched the lead to 0 – 10. after 20 minutes play. Next, Devon Referee Steve Moir acted as home scrum-half Kier Murphy saw yellow when he paid the price for persistently niggling away at his opposite number. A five metre attacking scrum was confidently marched forward and at the base No. 8 Tom Whitford got the touchdown. 0 – 15 after 26 minutes. A third try came three minutes later with a decisive run from midfield in broken play by Carl Turner down the right. His well-timed pass found Alex Jeffery in support and by putting his head down and running straight he made the line ahead of the cover defence. 0 – 20. Tavy then enjoyed their first period of sustained pressure. Torquay resisted two attempted rolling mauls from Tavistock lineouts close in and the Tics then survived when a Tavy player dropped the ball over the try line. Then followed the Goldsby-West try and the half time whistle. Torquay suffered one of several injury disruptions in quick succession when prop Dave Braughton had to retire with a hand injury. Ben Sharples came off the bench to replace. Goldsby-West then crossed in the right hand corner a few minutes after the resumption. He is not the quickest of No. 10s but his rugby brain enabled him to run a good line through the defence. It was now 12 – 20, with the spectre of a decent lead being overturned looming large when Tavy outside centre Chad Brading cut inside from short range to dot down under the posts with the conversion bringing it back to 19 – 20 after 53 minutes. Meanwhile full back Mawgan Penrice had retired with a pulled muscle, requiring Toffolo to revert to full back and Chris Sudworth having to enter the contest as a left wing, rather than in the pack. As the visitors early brio visibly drained away a further enforced change when Carl Turner succumbed to the effects of a head wound sustained in the first half. This required Sharples to move to hooker, Jonathan Woodhead to move up to prop and James Norrish to come into the second row. Tavy completed their spirited comeback after fifty five minutes when Goldsby-West took the chance at another penalty in front of the posts. Within a 16 minute spell the match had been turned on its head and Tavy led 22 – 20. All of the disruption to forward personnel meant that Torquay were no longer dominating in the set pieces, as they had been earlier. However the shove on scrum put-ins was still sufficient to put Tavy on the back foot, but when the scrum wheeled on two such occasions the Referee decided that Torquay were the culprits, despite their already having forward momentum. Torquay simply could not get going and when possession came the ball was too often kicked away, when keeping it in hand was the better option. In other instances the ball started to resemble a hot potato for Tics as offloading was delayed until contact and then poorly executed under pressure. Meanwhile, although the Tavy eight was not truly dominant they were supplying enough ball for Goldsby-West to simply sit in the pocket and dictate play – nudging his side into attacking positions with thoughtful kicking. With less than a quarter of the match to play Tics were reduced to fourteen men. A short tap penalty on half -way by Tavy was halted by Woodhead, who had clearly not retreated the full 10. However there appeared to be a case for saying that the ball carrier had run straight at him. The Referee was on the spot and awarded another penalty to Tavistock. Then, immediately, two or three home players threw punches at Woodhead in full sight of all present. He shouldered arms and stooped low to protect himself to avoid the actions of his opponents, with barely a hint of any retaliation. When the melee had subsided the Referee spoke to both Captains but then waved only one card (a yellow) in the direction of Woodhead, to the bafflement of the Torquay contingent. The game then reverted to uncontested scrums. Torquay could not penetrate the home defence and failed to use the full width of a generously wide pitch. A Tavistock breakout with two minutes remaining and a Torquay forward was pinged for not releasing the ball. Goldsby-West stepped up to extend the lead to 25 – 20. Following this second reverse, after dominant opening spells and building of a potentially winning score line, complex decisions lie in front of the Playing Directorate ahead of next weeks home game (sponsored by WBW Solicitors) against Wellington. The Somerset side are also without a win and prop up the Table after two games. TORQUAY TEAM: 15 – Mawgan Penrice, 14 – Mike Cavanna, 13 – Ashley Rescorla, 12 – Andy Gormley, 11 – James Toffolo, 10 – Jamie Hext, 9 – Alex Jeffery (Captain), 1 – Dave Braughton, 2 – Carl Turner, 3 – Sonny Rowe, 4 – Jonathan Woodhead, 5 – Tom Winfield, 6 – Shane Wakeham, 7 – Richard Read, 8 – Tom Whitford, Replacements: Ben Sharples, James Norrish, Chris Sudworth (all played) The Colts also travelled to Tavistock with a party of twenty six players for their first competitive outing ahead of the start next week of their Merit Table competition, when they face Paignton at Torre Valley North. After falling 0 – 7 behind they rallied with good all – round performances to run out 7 – 29 winners, with all of the squad given game time. At the Rec. a Club squad of twenty five players, comprising mainly last years Quins, met Brixham Seconds (Crusaders), in a hastily arranged friendly, following the withdrawal of both Clubs scheduled opposition from Merit Table games. This saw a quick return to the Ground of Chris Dorling, who is now Coach to the Brixham second string. The purpose was to gain playing time for Tics players , most of whom are not regulars at training, ahead of upcoming Merit Table games, which commence next week for the Extra Firsts at Cullompton (kick-off 3.00 pm). However Brixham were altogether too strong for the home outfit and ran out convincingly on top by 0 – 72.
Posted on: Tue, 16 Sep 2014 09:53:20 +0000
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