Yatton 3-17 Torquay
Channon try double points Tics towards overdue win
Monday,
March 01, 2010, 09:34

South West One
AT last and not a moment too soon! Torquay Athletic's
long wait for a win is over.......

Report courtesy of the
Herald Express
Eight
games had elapsed since the Tics last won a match – a
12-10 verdict over St Mary's Old Boys back in
November before the bad weather socked in.
Since then the Tics have been sliding closer and
closer to the relegation trap door, which is starting
to creak alarmingly below them.
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There
is some way to go before Torquay are safe, but at
least they are heading in the right direction now.
They remain three of the bottom of the table – which
is the last of the relegation places – but with
safety now in sight.
Ivybridge, the first side Torquay need to overtake,
are just two points ahead, having played one less
game. They have a tough run in which includes leaders
Hartpury, second-placed Newton Abbot, Clevedon (5th)
and Cullompton, who beat them on Saturday in a
rearranged game.
Sidmouth are three points ahead from one more match
played. Avonmouth, Brixham (3rd), Clevedon and
Cullmopton is a rough end to the season.
Torquay have Yatton (again) and doomed St Mary's,
both at home, which they have to win. No other
results are acceptable. Someone along the line the
Tics need to nick a win off St Ives (A), Avonmouth
(A), Cullompton (A), or Brixham at home on the last
day of the season.
"It was great to finally get a win, but we are not
out of the wood yet," said director of rugbyMike
McDonald.
"Yatton at home and St Mary's are games we have to
win – and we must pinch one somewhere else.
"Yatton were massively fired up for this game and we
had to soak up loads from them early in the game.
"Tom Channon, who had an outstanding game, turned the
tide when he scored and took two Yatton guys over
with him.
"There were times when we let the ball go out, then
dropped it in the backs, so we brought it back into
the forwards and kept it there when we could.
"When Andy Knight came on in the second half, it gave
us another option at the front of the line-out and we
were securing good ball there, which we hadn't been
before.
"Chris Sherlock came up from the colts for his first
game and did everything asked of him. He didn't have
much to do in attack, but defensively he dealt with
everything they threw at him. It was a promising
debut."
For Torquay the value of having Knight back fit after
foot problems for what remains of the season cannot
be underestimated.
Knight is the sort of player who changes games, not
just contributes to them, and in Torquay's situation
is a sight for sore eyes after five months out.
This game was won and lost on the hour mark when
hooker Channon – whose form is attracting the
attention of clubs near and far – steamed over for
his second try in the match.
Until Channon's intervention the game had been nip
and tuck with more chances spilled in the cloying mud
than anything else.
Channon's first try came before half time when Yatton
failed to clear a James Wood penalty attempt and the
nuggety youngster got to the loose ball first. Wood
made sure of the conversion.
George Osborne's penalty minutes later gave Yatton
some comfort as the sides turned around 7-3 to
Torquay.
Yatton tried to play the more adventurous rugby, but
it was Torquay who looked the stronger with a heavier
pack more suited to the conditions.
A player from each side was sin-binned in separate
incidents nearing the last quarter.
It was still nail-biting stuff until Torquay attacked
from a midfield scrum and were halted shy of the home
line.
A five-metre Torquay scrum evolved into a maul and
gave Shannon his second try as he burst through at
pace.
With five minutes to go Wood knocked over a penalty
to settle the question once and for all.