Honiton win at the death!

Honiton travelled to Teignmouth for their second league fixture and with a much changed team from last weeks game, injuries and unavailability saw them make eight changes with five of them in the forward pack.

Teignmouth started the game at a fast pace and whilst they tested the visitors defence, Harry Wright was given a yellow card for offside at the break down near the try line. From the resulting penalty Teignmouth opted for a scrum and got a push over try wide left. The conversion was added and the home side held a 7-0 lead after 5 minutes.

Honiton won the kick off and moved the ball in to the Teignmouth half, then a line out and superb individual break by Ollie Cave saw him score wide left after beating the full back. He added the extras and fourteen man Honiton levelled the score after 10 minutes.

The home side scrum exploited the weakened Honiton scrum and won a penalty. They followed this up by retaining the resulting line out, however they infringed in the driving maul and were penalised for crossing. Honiton won the line out and only last ditch ankle tap on Will Tyers halted a promising attack.

With harry Wright coming back into the fold, Teignmouth went in under the posts when their outside half intercepted in midfield and ran in under the posts. With an easy conversion they advanced the score to 14-7 after 20 minutes.

Teignmouth had another break and looked like scoring a certain try only for their flanker to drop the ball shy of the line. Honiton won the scrum and Ollie Cave cleared well. The relief was short lived however as the home side pounded the Honiton defensive line and they eventually broke through on the left, exploiting a numbers advantage and increasing the lead to 19-7 after 27 minutes.

Honiton won a line out and Harry Wright broke the gain line, then as the ball was recycled and fed through the back line, the home side were reduced to fourteen with a yellow card for their winger for offside at the break down. Honiton were unable to take advantage from the penalty and Teignmouth cleared.

The injury jinx hit Honiton again as Will Tyers was forced to leave the field with a pulled hamstring. The latter part of the half saw half chances go to ground for Honiton and the first half ended with the score at 19-7.

The second half got underway with the home side kicking off and knocking the ball on, Honiton won the scrum but unfortunately were penalised for holding on at the breakdown in front of their posts from 22 out Unbelievably the attempt went wide the away support all breathed a sigh of relief.

Honiton were holding their own and enjoyed possession in the home sides twenty two but were unable to score. Teignmouth cleared but were themselves penalised but the ball was gifted back to them. A couple of exchanged kicks saw a knock on which gave Teignmouth a scrum in the Honiton half which they recycled well but couldn’t beat the Honiton defence.

Angus Meadows made a good break down the left only to be felled by what seemed to be a high tackle. The ball was recycled and only offside in the midfield halted the Honiton attack. Cave stepped up for the penalty but his attempt just sailed wide.

It was the home side that broke the scoring deadlock in the second half with a break by their blindside flanker seeing the ball spun wide left and the score moved on to 24-7 to Teignmouth.

Another good show and go from Ollie Cave saw Honiton break into the Teignmouth half. The attack was halted illegally and a second yellow card was given to the home side, this time their outside centre. Honiton kicked for touch from the penalty and the forwards set up a good driving maul to score their second try wide left through Arthur Banks. The conversion went wide and Honiton reduced the score to 24-12.

Honiton weren’t done though and a good break from young full back Sam Heathcote saw Ben Small score to the right of the posts. Cave was successful with the conversion and the scoreboard read 24-19. Teignmouth had another player yellow carded for a high tackle on Sam Heathcote leaving them with 13 on the field for several minutes.

With the last minute of numerical advantage Honiton made a forty metre break and scored through skipper Harry Wright. This gave the away side the lead for the first time after Cave converted and the scoreboard read 24-26 to the Lacemen. Harry Wright was taken out in the air from the ensuing kick off and had to leave the field with an elbow injury.

Teignmouth pressed hard the last few minutes but Honiton held firm and came away with an excellent result showing great team spirit and work ethic.

#UTT