Taunton headed down the A30 to Cornwall for the second time this season and came unstuck once again missing out on victory by one score against the Cornish All Blacks.
On the nice wide pitch at Polson Bridge and with good weather apart from the odd shower now and again this was ideal conditions for the Titans but is was the home side that enjoyed the better of the game and used the space well as the Titans underperformed once again away from home.
The game started with the home side with the wind advantage and playing down the slope. Both teams tried to gain the upper hand in the opening exchanges and the Taunton pack had the edge in the scrum as they shoved the home pack off their own ball but it seemed the home side had a slight advantage with ball in hand causing the visiting defence a few issues as they managed to get their big runners into space and got their off load game working making the Titans retreat and scramble in defence.
Both teams had chances to take the lead with the home side missing a couple of scoring opportunities and both kickers missing penalties which is rare for both teams.
After 10 minutes however the first score arrived. The home side drove a lineout ball and after some good go forward ball they spun the ball out wide. The covering defence stopped the initial attack but with the defence scrambling as the ball got passed back the opposite way centre Neilson Webber ghosted in for a try with full back Kieron Lewitt adding the extras making the score 7 – 0.
The rest of the half was nip and tuck with Taunton missing a couple more penalty kicks but the half time score stayed at 7 – 0. The Titans would have been pleased to go in only 7 – 0 down against the wind especially if CABS had taken all of their scoring chances could have been 20 – 0 down.
After their half time briefing it was important that the Titans were the first to score in the second half to put some pressure on the home side.
However after 10 minutes of the seconds half it was the All Blacks centre Ryan Westren who scored a try. From a lineout just outside their own 22 meter line they drove the ball through their forwards and then released their backs. With the backs making good in roads and linking with their forwards well they worked themselves down the pitch. Number 8 Barry Chapman who was the home sides best player drove forward and after several poor attempts at a tackle got the home side within 10 meters of the Taunton try line. A few forward thrusts and driving mauls later the ball was sped along the line and with some more weak tackling Westren twisted out and flopped over the line making the score 12 – 0 with 30 minutes to play.
Luckily Taunton then started to get themselves back in the game as the home side began to tire. The CABS used all of their experience to slow the game down and try and disrupt the game as much as possible and as always pushed the fine line of various rules and managed to put off some of the younger players in the Taunton side. However on 66 minutes with some pressure in the home 22 after a lineout and some strong running by centre Nick Mason and the forwards scrum half Stuart Townsend switched the play well and put a long pass out to winger Jack Claydon who was hugging the touch line to out flank the defence and score in the corner. Full back Gary Kingdom kicked the conversion from wide out taking the score to 12 – 7.
Both teams now tried to gain an advantage and try and claim the decisive score to win the game. The All Blacks were guilty of not taking their opportunities by trying the off load and the Titans were guilty of not dealing with the breakdown well enough give themselves the quick ball they desired. A penalty 10 minutes later for the home side kicked by replacement full back Jake Murphy took the score to 15 – 7 and it looked to late for Taunton with only 4 minutes left. Taunton got themselves back into the opposition 22 and gained a penalty and intelligently took the 3 points to get themselves within the 7 for a bonus point. Time then ran out and the victory went to the home side.
The difference between the two teams was the desire and cutting edge that seemed to missing from the visiting team but with Launceston starting the game in a relegation place it was understandable that they pushed themselves right to the end.
If the Titans want to progress next season they will need to learn from these tight away games and why their home and away form is so drastically different. Once they discover this then some of these away games will turn into wins but with only one more away game this season against another team desperate for points, Chinnor, they might left it a bit to late.