South West Division Tribute Devon 1
Totnes 28,
Totnes played their first match at Borough Park since their draw with Dartmouth three weeks ago. Last Satur-day, they welcomed New Cross from Newton Abbot.
Training was cancelled on Thursday due to the pitch being waterlogged, but after an early pitch inspection the field was deemed playable.
However, the game was played in blizzard conditions.
Totnes welcomed back number 10 Scott Hingston for his second game of the season after recovering from a serious leg injury.
From the kick-off, Totnes kept possession of the ball and with some powerful running from the forwards and aggressive rucking, they caught the visitors by surprise.
Scott Hingston, running a fantastic line, skipped and sidestepped over the line. He converted his try, giving Totnes a 7-0 lead.
Again from the kick-off, the Totnes forwards gathered the ball and with their practised phase play, they worked their way up the pitch to the New Cross 10m line before releasing a quick ball. That man Scott Hingston popped up on the outside to receive the ball before darting off under the posts for his second try.
Hingston’s conversion made it 14-0.
The visitors did manage to get their mitts on the ball, but with cold hands and a biting wind made a mistake in the Totnes half. The ball was pounced upon by Totnes captain Arron ‘Buzzy’ Bartlett. He spun the ball out to the backs, with full back JamieMitchelmore joining the line at speed. He finished
the move with a well-taken try.
Hingston’s conversion made it a half-time score of 21-0.
After the orange break, New Cross came out a new team and spent 15 minutes pounding the Totnes line in an effort to get on the scoreboard. Their continued pressure paid off and they were rewarded with a corner try, which they failed to convert.
The visitors then went off the boil and the Totnes forwards again took control and regained their aggression. Veteran evergreen prop Chris Life led by example and was more than a match for his younger opposite number. He gained Totnes bonus points with a final try after crashing over the New Cross line. Again, Hingston converted, making the final score Totnes 28, New Cross 5.
Totnes’s forwards coach Ben Townsend said: “The guys did really well in appalling weather conditions.
“We knew we had to keep it tight, which the Totnes eight did. It was a welcome return for Scott Hingston, who was always willing to run the ball, as his two tries showed.
“New Cross aren’t an easy team to beat.
“We look forward to playing Old Techs and Tamar Saracens in the last games of the league. There’s a chance we can grab the number-three spot in division one. We’re then hoping for a good cup run.”