Tavistock 36 Teignmouth 2nd XV 23

Unfortunately a final torrential downpour at Teignmouth ruined all their efforts leaving the expedition to Tavistock as one of few games that will have got underway in Devon on Saturday.

The cancellation at home meant that a pretty unique event of 4 brothers appearing for Teignmouth at the same time was spoilt. However three Aldworth brothers Roger. Gareth and Dan appeared at Tavistock and provided the core of a great pack effort. The weather meant it was not a day for the backs to flourish and meant the forward effort was going to be key. The Teignmouth pack put in a great effort but flagging legs in the last 15 minutes allowed Tavistock to first edge ahead and then pull away at the death.

Teignmouth unusually these days were rocked back by the Tavistock start and conceded an early converted try. They responded well driving Tavistock back and it was a only two Teignmouth errors which allowed Tavistock a 2nd try before half time. They responded with a drive and a push over try from a line out by skipper Webber and a Couch penalty. They turned round 12-10 down but in the ascendancy and a second penalty from Callum Couch took them ahead straight after half time.

The game had hotted up now and despite the conditions making things scrappy it was end to end with lots of action. Tavistock went 19-13 up before a Webber charge down and aggressive driving from the forwards brought a third Couch penalty. Then a crucial drive of twenty yards took the Teignmouth pack to within five yards of the try line only for them to realise they had left the ball some 10 metres behind them! The Ref was not happy about this (not quite sure why but it just seemed wrong!!) and after pondering decided it should not happen and penalised Teignmouth. The pack were undeterred and attacked again this time Roger Aldworth picked up and drove over from close in, (unlike his brothers Colin and Dan he did not claim a 20 metre sprint for the line, very refreshing?!) Couch converted and Teignmouth with 12 minutes left led 23-19. Through out hard defensive work by Jones and Banks in the centre had kept the dangerous Tavistock backs at bay but their time was nigh.

The bog like strength sapping conditions undid all their efforts as in that last few minutes the packs legs at last reached their limits and they started to blow out of orifices they should not be breathing out of. The covering and tackling that had been superb all game at last flagged. A great sequence of tackles by Willis, Dan Aldworth and centre Sam Banks (with several tackles made on his own), ended as the final Tavistock support player slipped through the defence and scored the try that took them ahead. Even then Teignmouth drove them back one last time but were undone by two late Tavistock scores. Overall this was a fine effort that easily could have brought a win on other days, it was a shame that the team had to splash their way home disappointed.

Welcome back by the way for the disturbingly strange Welshman who seemed to be making blue lasagne to use as a gum shield before the game and then allowed his blinding speed off the mark to fool the ref into thinking he was off side at a restart.

Next week the two's face Exmouth in a re-arranged Merit table fixture away.

Match Report: Gerard Starling