A CASE OF 'NEARLY BUT NOT QUITE' FOR TICS

TORQUAY ATHETIC 3PTS BARNSTAPLE 17
SOUTH WEST TWO WEST

11:00 - 21 April 2008

Torquay squelched to defeat in an unseasonal mudbath that brought down the curtain on a 'nearly' season for the first team.The Tics were 'nearly' good enough to challenge for promotion, but not quite. Five of the nine defeats sustained by the side were at the hands of three sides who finished above them in the table.

A 21-14 win over Taunton back in September was the only victory Torquay had over a side that finished ahead of them - proof that the table hasn't lied.

Having waited 27 years to win back the Devon Senior Cup, Torquay lost their grip on that with a semi-final defeat by South West Two champions Exmouth.

At first glance then the season hasn't been a success, although appearances can be deceptive at times.

This is the end of Torquay's second season back up in South West Two and, just like the first, they have won substantially more games than they have lost. They haven't broken the bank doing it and haven't been looking behind them all season worrying about avoiding relegation.

You can't afford to stop aiming high - that leads to stagnation and decline - but there is nothing wrong with having a respectable season with no dramas of the unwanted kind. Turn the clock back a decade or so to Torquay's annual battles to avoid relegation from South West One for proof of that.

Coach Mike McDonald, Torquay's next director of rugby in waiting, prowled the touchline anxiously at times during the game exhorting the team to greater efforts.

McDonald will have been disappointed not so much by Torquay losing - they really didn't threaten the Barum line that often to feel hard done by - but by the actual margin of defeat.

Second-placed Barnstaple, who needed this win to guarantee home advantage in the promotion play-offs this Saturday, weren't that much better than Torquay in almost every department.

They didn't kick away as much possession as the home side, but didn't dominate the game through midfield in the way they are used to.

Had the final whistle been blown on 79 minutes when Barum were 10-3 up, that would have been about right. It wasn't and a late try by slippery full-back Paul Scheres was undeserved given Torquay's defensive efforts throughout the match.

Torquay's only points came when full-back Matt Jackson knocked over a penalty in first-half stoppage time.

Barnstaple were 10-0 up at the time thanks entirely to Josh Squire, who kicked a penalty on 15 minutes and converted his own try five minutes later.

It was scoreless until the very end of an entertaining second half when Scheres threaded his way through the Torquay defence along the paddock touchline to score in the corner. Squire converted.

LAST-GASP DEFEAT FOR TORQUAY

BARTON HILL 29, TORQUAY ATH 27
SOUTH WEST TWO

Torquay coach Drew Powell let his frustrations show after this last-gasp defeat in Bristol.With virtually the last kick of the game, Barts snatched victory with a penalty knocked over from close to the halfway line.

Torquay had done well to get back into the match twice having been 14-3 and 26-21 behind, especially as they had a much-changed side due to availability issues.

Barts had nothing to play for - they are resigned to finishing in the bottom two - but their never-say-die attitude was something Torquay can learn from.

"If there had been something on the game for us, I feel sure we would have gone on to win it," said Powell.

"We were pretty close to winning and the penalty that won it for them was a bit of a freak.

"It's no use saying it didn't matter that we lost because we aren't going anywhere this season.

"It's the sides that go out looking to win every game, whether there is something on it or not, who are the successful ones."

Having fallen 14-3 behind, Matt Jackson landing a penalty, tries by Tom Havill and Ryan Chivers got Torquay back in contention.

Barts tried to pull away again, but Torquay wouldn't let them and stayed close thanks to a second Havill try and a couple of Jackson kicks.

That looked like being enough until Ben Cole was penalised late on and Barts landed the winning penalty.

Torquay's grip on the Devon Cup was prised off in a tense semi-final that stayed in doubt until time added on.Exmouth had already beaten Torquay twice in South West Two this season and went into the game as favourites.

But the Cockles were never able to impose themselves on the game as they would have liked and were glad of a stoppage time penalty for putting them in the clear once and for all.

Although the rain held off it was a not a good day for rugby. A bitterly cold wind swept in from the Haldon Hills and didn't relent all afternoon.

Within minutes, Torquay stand-off Matt Jackson put his side ahead when he slotted a penalty from 15 metres.

For the next 10 minutes Torquay were marginally in control, then Exmouth caught them on the counterattack

Richard Cadywould punted a long ball towards the Torquay line that wrong-footed Tics' full-back, Paul Clark, who had to touch down to give Exmouth a five-metre scrum.

The Exmouth pack, which had struggled for control up to this point, produced good ball and when the ball passed to Jack Downie he brushed off the defence to score wide out and give Exmouth a 5-3 lead.

Five minutes later Cadywould had a penalty shot from 30 metres out but the wind was not kind to him and the ball sailed past the posts.

With twenty five minutes gone Torquay threatened and an opportunity was lost when winger Matt Allinson decided to kick ahead rather than keep the ball in hand.

Torquay generally had the better of line-outs and scrums and Exmouth did well to keep the half time score to 5-3.

Cadywould kicked off the second half into the wind and Exmouth camped in the Torquay 22 for the next 15 minutes, but came away with nothing.

Torquay got back into the Exmouth half and with 30 minutes played captain Ben Passenger dropped a goal to give the Tics the lead for the second time.

From the restart, Exmouth won a line-out and, following a standard catch and drive, Dale Sleeman sprinted 30 yards to finish things off with a try.

With 10 minutes to go and only four points in it, Torquay weren't out of the game yet.

Passenger tried his luck again with another drop-goal attempt, but this time the wind was the winner.

With five minutes of injury time played Cadywould slotted over a penalty to settle the game.

CUP DEFEAT IS FINAL BLOW FOR TORQUAY


11:00 - 26 March 2008

Torquay Athletic's season looks like fizzling out after their exit at Exmouth in the Rhino Devon Senior Cup.

Torquay, the holders, lost 13-6 to Exmouth, which denied them what would have been a fourth successive trip to the final.Pre-match problems, which meant calling up 39-year-old veteran Paul Clark for the first time in two years, and a lengthening casualty list during the match eventually contributed to the Tics undoing.

It was a close-run thing from start to finish and Exmouth were only sure of their place in next month's final when Richard Cadywould potted a penalty five minutes into time added on.

Torquay captain Ben Passenger had no complaints, but did wonder how the game might have panned out on a less windy day and with his best side on the park.

"It was gale force from end to end and it was very easy to get shunted back 50-60 yards if you got turned over," said Passenger.

"I was pleased we were only 5-3 down at half time as I felt we could go on and win the game from that position.

"We needed to get our hands on the ball though - and for the first 15 minutes Exmouth didn't let us.

"Jon Arnold went off in the first 10 minutes, then we lost Andy Knight soon after. That's two big forward holes to cover.

"I dropped a goal, which put us ahead, but we knocked-on at the restart and they scored a try from the scrum to go straight back into the lead.

"I always felt we could get back in front again and only gave it up when they landed that late penalty."

Torquay are nailed on to finish fourth in the South West Two table, one place below where they finished last term.

Passenger said the remaining motivation is to defeat Devon rivals Barnstaple when they visit the Recreation Ground on the last day of the regular season.

"The way things are going it looks like Barnstaple will be in the play-offs already by then as it would have been nice to have been in a position to make life difficult for them," said Passenger.

"Torquay-Barnstaple is always a big game though and we will be going all out to beat them to make it a good end to our season."

A USEFUL 'WARM-UP' FOR TICS
Date : 10.03.08
The Tics warmed up for their Devon Cup semi-final clash at Exmouth on Saturday with a comprehensive win.Clevedon, who had some players suspended and others rested ahead of their own Somerset Cup semi-final on Sunday, were blown away before half-time.

Torquay had selection issues of their own - no Richard Hunt in the pack, no Adam Last, Scott Rylance or Ben Passenger behind the scrum - so the size of the victory should be a credit to the side.

There is no pleasing some people though, among them Tics' hard taskmaster and coach Drew Powell, who felt the margin should have been wider.

"It was only 13-0 at half time when we should have been out of sight by then," said Powell. "We would have been had we not kept finding new ways to blow scoring chances.

"The good thing was we were creating the chances, which is what you want to see.

"It was a bit disappointing to let Clevedon in for two tries at the end though. We were 32-7 up and let them get it back to 32-19, which didn't really represent the game.

"Other than for a period in the first half when we struggled a bit against them in the scrums, Clevedon were never really a threat in the game."

With Matt Jackson pulling the strings effectively from stand-off, which will create an interesting selection dilemma if skipper Passenger is available again next week, Torquay scored five tries.

Centre Ben Dommett helped himself to a maiden 1st XV hat-trick.

Ed Cribb, deputising for the injured Rylance at scrum-half, scored a well-worked try up the blind side. Wing Paul Bettesworth joined the scoring party with a try in the corner.

Jackson, with a penalty and two conversions, completed the scoring tally.

Pack power paved the way for Torquay to send Newton Abbot home empty handed.

The All Whites, who arrived at the Recreation Ground with three successive league wins under their belts, were looking to turn on the style now their relegation fears are almost over.Instead, they managed to contain Torquay for an hour without ever threatening them for long and were blown away in the last quarter as the Tics hit them with four tries.

Torquay were never behind after full-back James Wood joined a running move and crashed through near the Newton posts to leave Matt Jackson a routine kick.

Rob Boles, who started the season with the Tics before rejoining the All Whites, pulled a try back for the visitors to leave two points in it.

Jackson booted Torquay into a 10-5 lead at the break and the way the Tics started the second half it seemed like a landslide was on the cards.

Newton defended heroically to keep Torquay out, but you can only do that for so long before the cracks start to appear.

Flanker Tom Havill, and ex-All White, Ryan Chivers and No.8 Jon Arnold all ploughed over as Torquay took control.

Colt Tom Harris maintained his try a game record in the Torquay 1st XV and there were two more conversions for Jackson.

Ian Milton got Newton Abbot into double figures with a try, then Lee Rundle joined the list of players scoring against their old club with a touchdown right on the whistle.

"Our forwards had the edge over theirs, but I think you could say that about most areas of the game," said Tics' coach Drew Powell.

"It wasn't just our forwards who were breaking through the Newton defensive line; the backs were running through it as well.

"It was disappointing to let Newton get a couple of tries back by slacking off just after we had scored.

"I can't complain though as we have had belting result with a much-changed side that had a new half-back pairing and when we were without our leading try scorer, Matt Allanson."

Torquay saw victory snatched from their grasp as they faded away in the second half. It was all Torquay in the first half with Matt Jackson slotting three penalties for a wind-assisted 9-0 lead at the turn.

Right on half time Taunton got on the board when prop Chris Martin scuttled in under the posts for Jon Martin to convert.

Ten minutes into the second half, Torquay prop Nick Gill went into the sin-bin and Taunton took the lead for the first time when Martin slotted the resultant penalty.

Marton stroked over another ten minutes later, but then missed a couple.

Both sides battled away for the rest of the game, with Taunton having the better of the exchanges, but neither team could score again despite ten minutes time added on.

Not one of Torquay Athletic's more sparkling performances, but sometimes you can only play as well as the opposition allow you to.

Yatton had little or nothing to offer going forwards and when they did try and break out they were cut down by the Torquay defence.

One speculative chip over the top into the home 22, and a penalty that never was, were the only occasions in first half when Yatton looked remotely threatening.

In the second half Yatton were equally devoid of scoring chances until the last 10 minutes when they pounded away at the Torquay line from close quarters without success.

The game was already lost by then - Torquay were 19-0 up and generally on top - and it was little more than sabre rattling to keep spirits up by the look of it.

Torquay had enough possession to have won by substantially more, but didn't have enough of it in the last third of the field. Getting there proved difficult, despite the promptings of Ollie Pitts from full-back, Matt Allanson on the left wing and Matt Jackson in the centre.

Yatton weren't going to allow Torquay to run through them at will and, while their tackling wasn't always pretty, it was certainly effective.

The first scoring chance of any kind came on 21 minutes when Torquay strayed offside near their own 22 and Yatton full-back Tony Hill lined up to kick.

Twice Hill put the ball on the kicking tee - and twice it fell off, despite the near total absence of any sort of breeze. Referee Andy Dawson from Manchester wasn't impressed by the delay and ordered a scrum to Torquay instead.

Forty minutes came and went without a score until the deadlock was finally broken in stoppage time.

Torquay attacked up the left though Adam Last, who slipped the last pass to Ben Dommett, who crashed over. Jackson converted from a difficult angle.

Midway through the second half Allanson made one of his trademark, slippery runs which paved the way for Pitts to go over. The conversion failed.

Four minutes later Allanson left the Yatton defence floundering as he raced in for a try that Jackson converted for 19-0.

After Yatton's brief excursion to the other end, Torquay broke away and Last scored on the end of a pass from Tom Harris that had the away followers hollering that it went forward.

PINK TICS RAISE CASH BONANZA


11:00 - 13 February 2008

Torquay Athletic expect to raise more than £3,000 for cancer units at Torbay Hospital from their fund-raising day last Saturday.

The Tics designated the game against Yatton as a fund-raiser for the Ricky Grant Unit and the chemotherapy day unit at the hospital.Two club members have been recent patients at the hospital, which prompted players and supporters to get onside for the event.

The team played in limited edition pink shirts - a colour associated with cancer charities - which were auctioned off after the match.

The shirts had been donated by sponsors Bedrock Business Finance with instructions to flog them off after the game.

Tics skipper Ben Passenger was the auctioneer as the shirts went under the hammer, one of which went for £140.

When the proceeds of a raffle, a donation of £350 from the club's past players' assocoation and other items were factored in, the tally stood at around £2,700.

Money is still coming in - and a few extra shirts have been ordered by people who missed out in the auction.

Passenger, who with Bedrock's Gary Spencer was one of the driving forces behind the event, said the day was a massive success.

"Thanks to everyone who supported it, we raised a lot of money for a worthwhile cause," said Passenger.

"Yatton stayed late into the night and joined in by putting one of their shirts up for auction as well.

"The Yatton chairman bought it back for £60 as they needed the shirt for this Saturday's game!"

Mark Crang of Bedrock said his company was glad to have been involved in such a worthwhile enterprise.

Brixham were cock-a-hoop after avoiding a third defeat of the season at Torquay's hands and putting some more distance between themselves and the relegation danger zone.

Two reversals by Torquay, one in the league, the other in the Devon Cup, were hard enough to swallow. A third wouldn't have gone done well.For an hour of this game Brixham were on top and on top by a distance and only in the last 20 minutes did Torquay start to threaten them.

The Fishermen held Torquay out until the last few minutes when centre Matt Jackson slipped over near the posts to leave himself a simple conversion. Time was against Torquay snatching a levelling, or winning score though.

For Brixham's director of rugby Paul Bayley it wasn't just 'job done' but a job done well. He sees it as a potential turning point to the season.

"Torquay are a good side so we knew we would have to be at the top of our game to beat them," said Bayley.

"I have felt we had a performance like this one in us and finally we produced it.

"For an hour we were in control, but 12-0 wasn't much of a lead to have to defend for the last 20 minutes.

"Torquay threw absolutely everything at us in the last quarter - they battered at our line - and we did a superb job keeping them out for as long as we did.

"When you are under that sort of pressure there is always the danger of giving away penalties, or worse still a penalty try, but we didn't."

Torquay coach Drew Powell said Torquay left themselves too much to do and too little time to do it in.

"Brixham were much quicker out of the blocks than us and had us on the back foot early in the game," said Powell.

"The longer the game went on the more we got into it and the last 20 minutes was pretty well all us.

"Maybe we could have nicked a win off them at the end, but that probably would have been harsh on Brixham as they deserved to win this one."

Brixham's decision to pick veteran Peter Chart on the wing paid off as he pelted in for their first try on a cross-field angle that left the Torquay defence floundering.

Matt Dempsey, who has potted harder kicks than some of the penalties he missed prior to the try, knocked over the conversion.

The Fishermen added another try in the second half through lock Alun Glanvill, who was driven over from a line-out.

Bayley had Glanvill on his short list for player of the match - impressive prop Nick Stoneman was there too - but the award went to Ben Lovell on his return to the side.

Stand-off Lovell kicked well for position, justifying the selectors' decision to move Jake Lawrence into the centre to accommodate him.

Torquay coach Drew Powell was disappointed that his side didn't win by more, which is possibly a little harsh on the players who plugged away in glue-pot conditions.

Hornets, four off the bottom of the table and struggling to stave off relegation, had little to offer going forward and only once got close to the Tics' try line all afternoon.Torquay had a stack of chances to add to the two tries they did score, but couldn't put them away.

A sympathetic watcher would have made allowance for the finger-numbing conditions, which Powell did. But such was Torquay's dominance they ought to have done a bit more than they did.

"All of us - players and coaches - were disappointed it wasn't 15 or 20 points more as that would have been a more accurate reflection of the game," said Powell.

"We got into all the right positions, which I should be pleased about, but too many of our last passes went to ground.

"If it wasn't the pass going do ground it was making the wrong decision where to send the last pass."

Hornets led for less than a minute early in the first half when stand-off James Buddle kicked them there after Torquay went offside near their own 22.

Matt Jackson equalised almost immediately, then both kickers missed shots at goal in a stalemate first half.

Just before the interval Torquay nosed ahead when skipper Ben Passenger punted for the corner and speedy wingman Matt Allanson chased up to claim the try.

Torquay controlled the ball for long periods in the second half, but extra points proved elusive.

Allanson appeared to have bagged a second try on 54 minutes when he crossed on the left, but referee Darren Becconsall from Cornwall called play back to give Torquay a penalty under the posts for offside!

As Mr Becconsall had been playing penalty advantage when Allanson crossed, the assumption was there had been a forward pass in the build up to the try that never was, but no explanation was forthcoming.

Jackson took the three points on offer and Torquay were 11-3 up.

Three minutes into stoppage time Torquay finally got their running act together when the impressive Matt Williams ran the ball out from full-back, Allanson came round from his wing to the right to offer support and an instant overlap was created for Ollie Pitts to fly over by the flag.

Brixham 3pts, Torquay Athletic 16

Torquay kept their grip on the Devon Cup after getting the better of their arch rivals in a typically rumbustious derby clash.Six yellow cards were shared between the two sides - and both camps felt a few more could have been issued if the referee had put his mind to it.

At one stage Torquay were down to just 12 men with Chris Hallett, Scott Rylance and Tom Havill all in the sin-bin.

The Tics held out under pressure and even at their thinnest limited Brixham to little worthwhile possession.

Colin Rylance, Torquay's director of rugby, said in a game of few chances the Tics made the best of theirs and Brixham didn't.

"Considering the conditions, which were awful, both sides put on a pretty good show," said Rylance.

"We had a couple more try scoring chances than Brixham did and scored tries from them.

"You can't pick out individuals on a day like this: it was a team effort that won the game

"It was a game we couldn't afford to lose if we wanted to keep the season really alive.

"After some disappointing results in the league, the cup represents our best chance of winning something."

Brixham had the best of it early on and went 3-0 up thanks to a Matt Dempsey penalty.

Torquay responded with a try on the right by wing Ben Dommett and went 8-3 up when Matt Jackson landed a penalty.

Brixham had their moments in the second half - a forward pass possibly cost them a try - but Torquay played the percentage game well.

The Tics waited for a chance to come along and when it did wing Matt Allanson splashed through the mud to score in the corner.

A Jackson penalty ended Brixham's hopes once and for all.

Torquay came into the cup at the quarter-final stage so this win put them into the semis.

It will be a while before Torquay find out whom they will be up against in the last four.

The paper trail starts with Honiton and Tiverton, who should have played each other yesterday, but didn't, for the right to meet Exmouth in the quarter-finals. The winners of that match will host the Tics in the semis,

11:00 - 07 January 2008

Torquay Athletic skipper Ben Passenger refused to run up the white flag on the Tics' promotion chances despite this defeat at the hands of the divisional leaders.

Defeat leaves Torquay fourth in the table, a whopping eight points behind Exmouth and four behind second-placed Barstaple, who occupy the play-off place.Barnstaple and Taunton, the other side above Torquay, both have a game in hand. It is against each other and will be played this Saturday.

Passenger agreed the Tics are unlikely to win the division, but the play-offs are still achievable.

"It's an uphill struggle, but mathematically we aren't out of it yet," said Passenger.

"All the top sides still have games against each other, so points are going to be dropped.

"Taunton lost to Newton Abbot on Saturday, which you wouldn't expect, and it only takes a few results like that to alter the picture quite radically.

"Our next three games are Brixham, Hornets and Taunton. Once they are out of the way we will have a better idea of our chances."

Torquay were always up against it after shipping three early tries and losing two players from an already depleted side.

First centre Matt Jackson was helped off with a nasty hamstring strain then debutant Simon Dorey, the former Teignmouth flanker in for the injured Ben Cole, went off with a suspected broken arm.

On top of that, Torquay had started without flu sufferer Matt Allanson and flanker James Boyce.

Playing 20 minutes in the second half a man short due to two sin-binnings didn't help either.

On the up side, Passenger said the second-half showing was much better than the first-half one as Torquay looked after the ball and had more scoring opportunities, even if they didn't put them away.

Matt Hopper's seventh-minute try, converted by Richard Cadywould, put Exmouth into a lead they were never going to lose.

On 12 minutes the Exmouth lead was stretched when Garry Hooper and Jack Downie linked up to put Dale Sleeman in for a try.

Torquay pulled a try back after 25 minutes when the line-out drive routine produced a try for No.8 Jon Arnold. Jackson converted.

Torquay weren't in the frame for long though as Exmouth hit back with a try two minutes later. Sleeman ran the ball out and Hopper crossed for Cadywould to convert for 19-7 at half time.

Sleeman set up Exmouth'only try of the second half when he ran the ball out and Paul Morgan steamed up in the support to take the scoring pass.

Torquay had the last word when they attacked from a scrum in the Exmouth 22 and Ben Dommett, in for Allanson, ran through for a try in his comeback game after injury.

OLD BOYS FIRST TO LIFT PENFORD CUP


11:00 - 27 December 2007

Torquay Athletic 15pts, Torquay Old Grammarians 22

The Old Boys became the first winners of the Chris Penford Cup with this victory in the annual Boxing Day clash at the Recreation Ground.The popular fixture - it attracted one of the best gates of the season to the Recreation Ground - is now in its ninth season and is firmly established on the Christmas calendar.

This season the Torquay Grammar School Old Boys' Society donated a perpetual trophy to be played for, named after long-serving teacher Chris Penford - and old boy Luke Pattison became the first captain to hoist it.

The Old Boys were ahead inside 30 seconds thanks to a solo try up the right by Tom Eeles.

A second try followed on 12 minutes when the Old Boys spun the ball left from a penalty and Tom Brookman only had to step over the line from a couple of yards out to score.

The Tics finished the second half in the driving seat with tries from veteran prop Kevin King, who was driven over in a maul, and flanker Simon Dorey.

It stayed 10-10 up to half time and beyond until a brilliant running breakout from defence ended in Old Boys' centre James Murray crashing over near the posts for Jack Cooper to convert.

The Tics had the upper hand again after going behind, despite being a man short for 10 minutes while Dorey sat it out in the sin-bin, but were caught by a second breakout that led to full-back Jack Porter putting the Old Boys 22-10 up.

With Dorey back on for the last 10 minutes of the game, the Tics hammered away at the Old Boys looking for a way back. It didn't come until it was too late to make a difference.

A series of penalties and line-out drives in the Old Boys' 22 culminated in second-row Jon Woodhead getting close enough to the line to reach out and touch the ball down for a try.

The failed conversion attempt was the last kick of the match.

Torquay turned the taps on in the second half as they swamped St Mary's with five unanswered tries.The Tics felt they had unfinished business with St Mary's, having lost 29-25 up in Bristol last month when fielding a hugely depleted side.

St Mary's just about managed to keep a finger in the dyke for the first 40 minute as Torquay were limited to a modest 13-5 lead.

The sluice gates opened in the second half though as Torquay's backs rampaged through the fading St Mary's defence time after time.

St Mary's are a rugby playing side - even when the situation looked hopeless they tried to play running rugby - which possibly contributed to the size of their downfall. Had they been a little more cynical, it might have been possible to limit Torquay's share of the ball - and the tries that gave them.

That wasn't Torquay's problem though. They can look back on a job well done and elevation to fourth place ahead of Clevedon on points difference.

St Mary's led briefly from the 14th minute when wing Steve Trimmel chipped and chase and beat Tics prop Nick Gill in a one-sided foot race to the tryline.

Ben Passenger was inches away from levelling when he was brought crashing down by an ankle tap from Mary's No.8 Richie Clarke.

Torquay were level from their very next attack: lock Andy Knight flopping over from a line-out drive. Matt Jackson converted from a tight angle and added two penalties for 13-5 at the break.

Jackson opened up with a third penalty six minutes into the second half, then converted a try under the posts from Tom Harris, who bombed through to score having just come on as a replacement for Jimmy Hill.

Chris Hallett was next over on the end of a cheeky inside pass from Adam Last that left the Mary's defence all over the place.

Jackson couldn't convert, but did slot a penalty and the extras to Scott Rylance try under the bar.

The Tics saved the best until last when Harris hared in under the posts from long range having done well to take a bootlace-height pass from Jackson. Harris did well to bend down that far - and actually see the pass coming in the gathering gloom of the Recreation Ground.

11:00 - 03 December 2007

Torquay Athletic posted a win for the first time in four starts in a mud-caked affair that got bogged down in the conditions at times.

An early try by James Boyce settled Torquay nerves, which were a bit fragile after successive defeats by Exmouth, St Mary's and Barnstaple.The game never fully opened up, but there was never much chance of Barton Hill coming from behind to win either.

"The early score definitely helped us as three narrow defeats have taken their toll a bit and it was nice to be in front," said coach Drew Powell.

"We played some good rugby on occasions, but didn't always finish it off with points on the board.

"Mistakes were made in scoring positions, and a few decisions went against us, but overall it went pretty well.

"The result was never really in doubt as Barton Hill didn't have a lot to threaten us with. When they got close to our line we dealt with them without many difficulties."

Matt Jackson added a penalty to Boyce's try before half time. Flanker Tom Havill rolled out of a maul to add another with skipper Ben Passenger having the final word with a short-range run near the end.

Clevedon's defeat at Exmouth allowed Torquay to clamber above the Somerset side into fourth place at the halfway stage in the season.

TICS FAIL TO THREATEN BARUM'S HOME RECORD


11:00 - 26 November 2007

This third defeat in a row leaves Torquay lagging back in fifth place as the halfway stage approaches and with six points to make up on leaders Exmouth.Barnstaple haven't lost a home game in the league for more than two years and that record was never under threat from Torquay.

"We had as much possession as Barnstaple and maybe a bit more," said Torquay's director of rugby Colin Rylance.

"What we couldn't do was turn possession into points and never really looked like scoring a try.

"Barnstaple's discipline was good as they gave away very few penalties. There wasn't much in the game and it could easily have gone our way on kicks with a few more penalties.

In a game of few chances Barnstaple created a couple more than Tics and put two of them away for tries.

Barum were ahead after less than a minute thanks to a Neil Giddy penalty.

Torquay levelled through Matt Jackson on 15 minutes, and it stayed 3-3 until the half-hour mark when Giddy scored a solo try and converted it as well.

Jackson got it back to 10-6 by the break. There was no further scoring until Barnstaple got a running move going which ended in Danny Gross releasing full-back Paul Scheres for a try.

A third Jackson penalty kept Torquay close enough to worry Barnstaple, but the home side ran down the clock in the last 10 minutes without any scares.

St Mary's OBs 29pts, Torquay Athletic 25

TORQUAY'S resources were stretched to breaking point against the Bristol side, yet they were in with a chance of winning until the end of the game.

The day started badly for Torquay when flanker and pack leader Ben Cole reported sick before the team set off.

By half time centres Ben Dommett and Adam Last had both gone off injured - Dommett when he pulled a hamstring yards away from the Old Boys' try line - and the Tics were forced to reshuffle.

Assistant coach Mike McDonald - in charge in the absence of number one Drew Powell - had to put flanker Ryan Chivers and scrum-half Ed Cribb in midfield and hope for the best.

"We had four out before we left - Cole, Matt Jackson, Andy Knight and Ollie Pitts - and with the injuries we picked up it was too much of a test of our resources," said McDonald.

"We were 18-12 up at half time, but St Mary's ground away at us until they got ahead. We didn't help ourselves with some missed tackles that let them in for two soft tries.

"When we got it back to 26-25 with a couple of minutes left, we still had a chance.

"We attacked from the restart, tried to switch the ball to the midfield, which wasn't a great idea as we didn't have a recognised midfield, and gave away possession.

"St Mary's hacked downfield, we gave away a penalty and over it went. Game over."

Back-rower Jon Arnold crossed twice for the Tics, the second time near the end when he rushed off with a tap penalty. Matt Allinson scored the other Torquay try. Richard Wood knocked over two penalties and two conversions, the last from the touchline after Arnold's late score.

Torquay Athletic's director of rugby Colin Rylance is still trying to work out how his side managed to lose against Exmouth last Saturday.

A dour Devon derby went Exmouth's way as they missed fewer penalties to win 9-3.Rylance said the game was no great spectacle, but Torquay could and should have won it.

"All I can say is I am glad I didn't have to pay to watch it," said Rylance. "It was very, very dour and nothing special to watch, but we should have won it.

"If I said we had 70 per cent of the play it would be no exaggeration. What we couldn't do is score, although we were closer to scoring tries than they were.

"Twice we had tries disallowed when we got over the line but couldn't get the ball down and the referee gave held-up.

"Exmouth got away with slowing the game down and killing the ball on the floor and by the time the referee sin-binned someone we were in the last three of four minutes and it wasn't going to make much difference."

Defeat cost Torquay their share of top spot in the South West Two table and dropped them down to fourth, although they are only two points adrift of joint leaders Barnstaple and Exmouth.

The important thing for Torquay is not to slip up away to St Mary's this Saturday and lose even more ground before they play Barnstaple on November 24.

Torquay are now level on points with Taunton, the result of whose game against Barnstaple this Saturday will be of particular interest to Tics followers.

Matt Allinson winged in for a try hat-trick as Torquay underlined their promotion credentials with this win.Hutton Moore is a notoriously hard place to win at and for 60 minutes Torquay weren't sure they would be going home with the points.

The half-time scoreline was 10-0 in Torquay's favour with Allinson scoring the only try and Matt Jackson kicking the conversion and a penalty.

Allinson added a second try early in the second half, but Hornets weren't about to roll over that easily.

A Matt Bourne try, converted by James Biddle, got Hornets back in the game and made things interesting for a while. Then Torquay shot clear.

Allanson completed his hat-trick, Jimmy Hill on the other flank got a try as well, and Jackson rounded things off with two more conversion and another penalty.

Torquay director of rugby Colin Rylance said: "It was a tough old game, they are down at the bottom of the league, but they took us on and penned us back for long periods.

"We were under the cosh and we gave away a lot of penalties as they kept us on the back foot.

"But we scored early in the first half and then scored early in the second half and managed to stay on top and finish strongly.

"We scored some very nice tries and it was nice to see some three quarter tries - that was especially pleasing. Matt Allinson got a hat-trick as well, which was really good.

"The three quarters put in some fantastic effort and were rewarded with some good tries. We had to dig it out up front and came through on top.

"It was a very pleasing win and, all in all, a good day."

Torquay Athletic 14pts, Brixham 8

Torquay savoured every moment of this win over the old enemy in a game which was every bit as close as the scoreline suggests.The right side won, which isn't always the case in derby clashes, but were getting ever more nervous as the injury time went on and on.

Referee Simon Lane found almost seven minutes for second-half stoppages. For most of the added time Brixham were banging away at the Torquay defence.

For all their superiority throughout the game, Torquay weren't far enough ahead to be sure of victory and would have lost had Brixham caught them with a converted try in time added on.

There was no score for the first half an hour and little likelihood of one at either end.

Brixham wanted to release wingman Adam Chadwick, but lacked ball in the right areas of the field, while Torquay struggled to go the last 15 feet to the line when they got within sight of it.

The deadlock was finally broken on 33 minutes when Brixham infringed in midfield and Torquay full-back Matt Jackson's penalty bounced off a post and over the bar.

Two minutes into time added on in the first half Torquay pressure in the Brixham 22 forced a scrum wide on the right and no more than 10 metres out.

Andy Knight picked up at No.8 and slithered over the try line despite the close attention of two Brixham defenders.

The second half was largly a midfield battle up to the hour markwith Torquay spending more time in Brixham territory than vice-versa.

Jackson missed a penalty on 57 minutes, but Tics' skipper Ben Passenger made amends by dropping a goal from distance on 61.

That was when Brixham woke up to the possibility the game was getting away from them and they didn't hang about making a dent in the arrears.

Brixham won the ball back from the restart, attacked down their left and forced a line-out deep in the home 22.

Lee Squire collected a throw to the front, bounced off a clutch of Torquay defenders on his way to the line then passed out of the tackle to Ryan Bradfield, who dived through the remaining red shirts to get the ball down. That was 11-5 and game on. Torquay responded with a second Jackson penalty to lead 14-5 with 10 minutes of normal time left.

Brixham cut the arrears five minutes later when Phil Maddick pumped over a routine three pointer from dead ahead.

Then the nail biting started as Torquay had to keep Brixham out until time ran out.

Torquay coach Drew Powell claimed the derby win over Brixham proved his side have more in their armoury than brute force up front.Said Powell: "Brixham picked the biggest set of forwards they could find, including a couple of players who have hardly played this season to take us on.

"If you added the weights up they probably had one more man than us, but other than the first scrum we were solid.

"Our back row had the edge over theirs - Tom Havill was outstanding - but outside we created a lot more than they did.

"Brixham never looked like scoring a try until they did; throughout the game we had Ollie Pitts, before he went off injured, Matt Jackson and Ben Dommett constantly probing the Brixham defence.

"Brixham came on strong at the end when they got back to 14-8, when they knew a converted try would win it for them. We needed strong defence got it.

"Both sides knew it would be a tight game as that's what both games were last year. There isn't a lot between us and this time we had the edge that made the difference.

"It probably wasn't a great game to watch, but it was certainly absorbing. After not taking a point off Brixham last year it was nice to take two of them."

TORQUAY Athletic’s playing director Colin Rylance was pleased as punch with his side’s showing away to Dings Crusaders in the EDF National Trophy, even though they lost 21-5.
Any disappointment at bowing out of the competition so early would have been tempered by the consolation prize of around £4,000 just for qualifying.
But it wasn’t only the money Rylance was pleased about, but the way the Tics stood up to a National Three side two divisions above them on the league ladder.
“Dings were combative, competitive and everything we expected of a National League side, yet we more than gave them a game,” said Rylance.
“Because they play at a higher level week in and week out, their reaction times to everything were a bit quicker than ours.
“Winning good ruck ball quickly was hard for us and that limited our chances.
“But we probably had the best of it in the line-outs and were 50-50 in the scrums, which I would settle for.
“And we kept Dings to just two tries until right at the end when they scored a third.”
Next up for Torquay is the eagerly awaited showdown with arch rivals Brixham, who beat the Tics once last season and were awarded the points for a drawn game when it emerged Torquay had inadvertently broken the rules regarding replacements.
“Our attitude for this game was first rate and the performance matched the attitude,” said Rylance.
“”Let’s hope we can take all the good things from this game into the Brixham match.”
Torquay’s only try against Dings was scored by prop Russ Morris on his full debut for the 1st XV.
Morris and fellow prop Steve Smith pushed Andy Knight hard for the Man of the Match award, in Rylance’s eyes.
Another player who impressed was Ollie Pitts, who was forced to step in at scrum-half when the Tics learned they were without a recognised number nine.
Scott Rylance is still getting over a chest injury, although he could be in the frame for a recall against Brixham depending how training goes this week.
Dan Taylor had family commitments and Ed Cribb was ushering at a wedding, which prevented both of them playing.
Taylor and Cribb will be in contention for the Brixham game, as will Jon Arnold, James Boyce, Nick Gill and Matt Williams, who were all unavailable against Dings.
The problem facing coach Drew Powell and the selectors is going to be who to leave out. Tonight’s selection meeting after training could drag on a bit.

Yatton 17-18 Torquay

Torquay left it late again before snatching victory with a try five minutes from time.The Tics crept past Taunton by two points last week and gave themselves an even bigger task this time around.

With an hour played the Tics were 17-3 behind, but they turned the game round in the next 15 minutes to snatch the lead.

Then it was a case of battening down the hatches for the last five minutes to keep the lead intact.

Yatton's opener, scored by Nick Garnham, was arguably against the run of play and came after Torquay spilled the ball out in the wing.

Tony Hill converted that try, and a Mike Harris score from an interception, then added a penalty for a 17-3 lead. In between Yatton's two tries, Torquay's Matt Jackson chipped over a penalty.

Torquay battled back through their forwards to get back in the game and it was fitting that No.8 Jon Arnold scored the catch-and-drive try to narrow the gap.

Yatton gave away a penalty almost from the restart and Jackson reduced the arrears to six points with the kick.

The closer Torquay got to the home line the less Yatton liked it and under pressure their penalty count soared.

Finally, Torquay got close enough for prop Steve Smith to rumble over, aided by a timely shove from centre Adam Last.

A win's a win, but Colin Rylance, the Tics playing director, feels the side can do better than this.

"We didn't perform that well but came away with the points so I am relatively happy," said Rylance.

'We tried to be a bit more inventive outside the scrum and a few things which didn't come off. Perhaps we were a bit too individual at times.

"The forwards played well again and one of these days when everything clicks someone is going to suffer at our hands."

Torquay Ath 21
Taunton 14
South West Two
TORQUAY Athletic had their work cut out to hold on for this win over another side tipped for the top in South West Two West this season.
Like two heavyweights slugging it out toe-to-toe, Torquay and Taunton battered away at each other for the full 80 minutes with little quarter asked or given.
Torquay went ahead for the last time in the game in the final quarter, but getting there and staying there were two different issues!
Taunton threw everything they had at Torquay, whose defences were tested to the full.
“Our back row of Ben Cole, Tom Havill and Jon Arnold were absolutely outstanding,” said director of rugby Colin Rylance.
“Taunton kept going right to the end and we had to defend as if our lives depended on it to keep them out.
“It was at that time that our fitness really showed, which is a credit to all the players in the team. Less well-prepared sides would have crumbled.
“Compared to the way we played at Newton Abbot last Saturday, we were in a different league.
“Crucially, especially in the second half, we gave away far fewer penalties. I think it was only two in the whole second half.
“We were all a bit down after the Newton Abbot defeat, but this win has given everyone a lift as we played so well against a strong team containing lots of quality players.”
Torquay finally took the wraps off new signing Matt Williams against Taunton and he scored what amounted to the winning try in the second half.
Rylance has been deliberately vague about Williams’ track record up to now for fear of giving away too much to rival sides. Now the cat his out of the bag.
“Matt played for Wales at U21 level and has been a professional rugby player with Cardiff and Pontypool before moving down here,” said Rylance.
“I didn’t want to say too much about him as I didn’t want Taunton singling him out for special treatment.”
Taunton led 14-13 at the break with all their tries coming from stand-off John Martin, who scored a try and landed three penalties. Torquay replied with Matt Jackson kicking two penalties and converting a try by Adam Last.
Jackson kicked Torquay ahead with his third penalty while Martin missed one at the other end.
A 16-14 lead wasn’t enough and Torquay were glad of a debut try by Williams on the end of a touchline run for making the game safe.

Newton 22-13 Torquay Ath

Newton Abbot turned the formbook on its head by sending previously unbeaten Torquay to their first league defeat of the season.

The odds appeared to be stacked against Newton Abbot going into the match as they had lost twice and were in the grip of a serious injury crisis.With a couple of key men back in the side - centre Kevin Francis and hooker Simon Mabin -Newton looked a much tougher proposition.

Torquay were never ahead in the match - the best they could manage after going behind to an interception try by Richard Hewitt was a four-minute period of parity in the second half - and were well beaten come the end.

How badly they were affected by losing scrum-half Scott Rylance halfway through with a rib injury is difficult to quantify, but it was asking a lot of Ollie Pitts to play out of position for quite so long.

Playing a forward down when ex-Newton flanker Tom Havill went in the sin-bin for 10 minutes was something else that mitigated against Torquay as well.

The Tics felt they didn't get too many of the 50-50 decisions go their way, although their only try had an element of good fortune about it that surely cancelled other issues out.

Jon Arnold's bullock-like run through the centre channel opened up Newton's defence in good field position for the Tics. However, Arnold spilled the ball when tackled, the whistle didn't go and second-phase ball went out to right-wing Matt Alllanson, who shot over in the corner.

Allanson's try was converted by Matt Jackson and left it all square at 13-all with 20 minutes to play.

Earlier, Jackson had kicked two penalties while, at the other end, Wiaan Venter had done the same and added the extras to Hewitt's try.

Venter added three more penalties, on 64, 73 and 83 minutes, to move Newton Abbot well clear.

Torquay coach Drew Powell felt things started to go wrong around the time Hewitt scored his interception try, which came moments after the Tics had seen a try ruled out for an apparent forward pass.

It's a point of view, but probably one that doesn't give Newton Abbot the credit they deserve for a win few people would have expected them to obtain.

Ask around South West Two and the pack of forwards most teams fear is Torquay's - especially their back five.

Newton Abbot seldom allowed Torquay to impose themselves up front in quite the way they are used to.

The All Whites have played Torquay enough times in the past couple of seasons to know where the likely threats come from and to have a working knowledge of their basic game plan.

Newton coach Burford had ploys in place to deal with Torquay's Plan A - kick deep and apply pressure through the forwards - and felt the Tics didn't have a Plan B to fall back on.

Torquay Ath 15 Clevedon 5

Torquay Athletic sit proudly at the top of the South West Two table after this curious win over Clevedon on a sun-soaked Recreation Ground.The curious bit was why Torquay didn't win by a few more as even the most one-eyed Clevedon supporter would have to admit the Tics were all over them for long spells.

Clevedon attacks were few and far between - their try came after 80 seconds and they didn't threaten again until well after half time - but Torquay conjured up a hat-full of ways not to score themselves.

Dropping the ball was the favourite, followed by wayward passing and that old perennial - taking the wrong option.

Torquay coach Drew Powell will no doubt want to see the finishing a little more clinical in the derby clash at Newton Abbot this Saturday - the game has been brought forward to a 1.30pm kick-off to avoid clashing with England's Rugby World Cup match with Samoa on TV - but will have been happy enough that the Tics were in the right positions to get it wrong!

Clevedon caught Torquay napping with the first real action of the game when left-wing Nick Redropp ran up the touchline virtually un challenged to score in the corner.

Matt Jackson could have trimmed the deficit with a penalty on 11 minutes, but didn't, and from then on it was all Torquay up to half time.

Torquay drew level on 20 minutes when they got the drive going from a line out and No.8 Jon Arnold flopped down over the line for the try.

Jackson's conversion missed, as did a 28th minute penalty, and another chance went begging when wing Matt Allanson was almost through before being halted.

Two minutes into stoppage time Torquay went from ruck to ruck in the Clevedon half before scrum-half Scott Rylance burst through the middle to score from a couple of yards out.

Jackson slotted over the conversion, but was less successful with a penalty right on the half-time whistle.

Jackson popped over a penalty 12 minutes into the second half - Clevedon had a prop in the sin-bin at the time - which concluded the scoring for the afternoon, although not the near misses.

Centre Ollie Pitts had an eventful second half as he went close twice and spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin for an ill-advised sortie into a maul. That sort of thing should really be left to the experts in the pack.

Andy Knight, who had a great game around the park, was halted by a high tackle in the Clevedon 22 that might have warranted more than the penalty award - Jackson missed it - given the proximity to the try line.

Cruelly, Arnold was feet away from a second try as the Tics drove for the line when referee Paddy Dommett had to halt play to deal with a punch up going on 20 yards behind him.

It was that sort of day for the Tics, one which coach Powell put down to early season rustiness and the fact that Clevedon could play a bit.

"Passes go behind players or hit the floor this time of the season so I am not that worried," said Powell.

"Maybe we should have scored a few more points, but Clevedon were quite resilient and a lot fitter than most of the sides we came up against last season. When others would have blown up, they were still going."

Camborne 3, Torquay Ath 36

South West Two WestAll the top sides in South West Two lost at Camborne last season - Torquay among them - so there was a certain degree of trepidation in the Tics' camp at opening the season there.

Those fears proved groundless as Torquay took the Cherry & Whites apart in almost every aspect of the game.

A reshuffled pack had former Redruth forward Jon Arnold moved from lock to No.8 and Ben Cole shifted sideways from the base to blind-side flanker. The switch worked as Arnold scored two tries from his new spot - and Cole got one as well.

Playing director Colin Rylance was cock-a-hoop at the result and eagerly looking forward to the first home game of the season this Saturday, against the Clevedon side coached by former England player Mike Rafter.

"I am over the moon about the result as it exceeded our expectations," said Rylance.

"We were a bit worried about going to Camborne and went down there more in hope than expectation of getting a result like this.

"Camborne were a bit fiery and physical in the first half, but we stuck to playing the rugby and made them look poor when we did that.

"It was a great start to the season and sets us up nicely for Clevedon, who look like being a useful side judging from their big win over St Mary's Old Boys."

From their first real attack Torquay went ahead when flanker Tom Havill went over off the back of a close-range line-out.

Camborne fly-half David Mankee reduced the arrears with a long-range penalty on the half hour but, before the break, Ben Cole was driven over from a catch and drive and Arnold touched down from a close-in scrum.

Full-back Matt Jackson's conversion made the half-time score 3-17.

Arnold scored a second pick-up try early in the second half, which Jackson converted for a 21-3 lead.

A fifth try on the blind-side flank by right-wing Jimmy Hill put Torquay over the horizon.

Prop Nick Gill bagged a try at the front of a line out and Jackson slotted the wide angled conversion to complete a comprehensive win.

Torquay paid the price for an error-strewn first half in which Exmouth efficiently put away every half chance given them. Torquay hardly had the ball in the first quarter hour and started to give away a number of needless penalties. Exmouth dominated the half and went in at half time 32-8 up, all Torquay had to offer was an excellent team try finished off by Jimmy Beardsmore and a penalty by Glen Channing. There was a genuine fear at half time that the home team might rattle up a cricket score. However, the Tics showed a great deal of grit and character in the next half hour. Tries by Chris Hallett and Adam Last with backs and forwards combining well put the away side back in the game. Moving into the final quarter another penalty and a debut try for the excellent Tom Havill put the scores at 35-30 and an amazing comeback looked on the cards. Unfortunately, the Cockles went straight to the other end and scored a fine drop goal to put Torquay two scores away. As the Tics threw caution to the wind in trying to find an unlikely victory, the Cockles scored a final, well constructed try down the blind side.Whilst Torquay were disappointed with decisions that went against them in the build-up to two of the first half tries, the Tics can only have themselves to blame for the half time position. They were very slow to start and committed far too many errors against a side who made very few mistakes and had players in important positions at the top of their game. However, the players must take a great deal of credit for the impressive second half performance that very nearly produced an incredible comeback.
Your Alive Alive Oh Correspondent

Torquay scorers: tries- Matt Allanson, Matt Jackson, Nick Gill, penalty try cons- MattJackson 2 pens- Matt Jackson 2
This was a disappointing game for all rugby lovers. It was evident from early on that some players on the field had a different agenda from the rest. In a game that was almost impossible to referee, Spartans somehow managed to finish the game with only 1 player having been sent off. The score was 18 - 3 at half time to Torquay with Matt Allanson's first league try a highlight, the second score was a penalty try as the Tics went for a push over, the home no.8 came round and took the ball from Ben Cole's feet. After a scrappy first half the second half degenerated further and the home side scored 10 points to bring the scores closer. At this point Ben Cole had to leave the field having taken excessive punishment to be replaced by Colt John Woodhead, who performed bravely in the circumstances. Late tries by Matt Jackson and nick Gill put a fairer reflection on the final score. everyone who had travelled was glad to hear the final whistle.
Your Roman Wars correspondent