Totnes RFC 13 Dartmouth RFC 15

Dartmouth kick off their Devon 1 League campaign with away win over local rivals

Totnes v Dartmouth 08/09/2018

Dartmouth win 15 - 13

Dartmouth travelled to local rivals Totnes for the first game of the new league season,
with the weather set fair and a dry firm pitch although a squally wind was blowing across
the playing field. Dartmouth kicked off, with Totnes fielding the kick and mounting an
attack, but the Darts were soon on the wrong end of the refs whistle with a player being
pinged for a minor infringement, nevertheless they all stand and Totnes duly put the ball
through the sticks for a 3 - 0 lead.
Dartmouth soon hit back though with a great break from centre Gary Rooney that
eventually led to skipper John Dingle crossing the whitewash for a try score, the conversion
was taken by Dave Champion which was a good effort but narrowly went the wrong side
of the near post. Dartmouth were now gaining confidence and on the twenty minute mark
added a further try when Sam Pearson made a galloping run through the Totnes defence
and scored under the posts, with the ensuing conversion being charged down for a no score.
The Darts lead was short lived as Totnes exerted continuing pressure from the
restart and after another dubious penalty decision, scored in the corner, with a good
conversion kick enabling them to level the scores at 10 - 10. As the first half drew to a
close, it was Totnes who again scored from another Dartmouth indiscretion to go into half
time with a 13 to 10 lead.

The second half started with just one change for the Darts, with Linford Brock
replacing Josh Bruckner at full back. There was plenty of effort from both sides, but it was
Dartmouth who looked the livelier with plenty of attack and some good running rugby,
which eventually led to a try from Tom Clark. Though again Dartmouth were unable to
make it a seven pointer as Champion was again just wide of the mark. Dartmouth now
made some changes with Ricky Seymour taking a knock and replaced by Piers Benjamin
and Dan Jones replacing Dec Hammond after a reshuffle in the pack, whilst in the backs
Xavier Picot replaced a battered Ben Peters on the wing.
That was the end of the scoring in this local derby where as the game went on
tempers began to rise which resulted in a mass melee, where both skippers were taken to
one side and asked to calm their players, no penalties were awarded as it was deemed
both sides were equally at fault. Dartmouth did have one more chance to score through a
penalty on the Totnes 22, but Champion was just having one of those days when the ball
would not go through the posts even though all the kicks had not missed the mark by
much.

All in all Darts will be happy with the away win, knowing there is a lot to improve on
but glad to come away with four points. There was debut performances from two players
Koree Britton and Linford Brock who both showed that they had played at a good level,
and when fully integrated will be great assets to the club. Dartmouth are at home to
Buckfastleigh next Saturday with kick off scheduled for 3.00 pm at Norton.

Report by Andy Williams
Photo's courtesy of Charlotte Cole