Reds welcomed back Ethan Doyle, but were without two key players due to injury; Scott Coster and Kieran Hill forced to sit this one out. Taunton, playing down the slope for the first half started brightly showing an eagerness to attack, ball in hand in the opening exchanges and took the game to Reds from the off. The hosts defended well and, from their first meaningful attack, opened their account. From a scrum centre-field on the edge of the 22 scrum half Kiyan Wiltshire took the ball from the base and broke through the defence, cover tackles pulled him down close to the try line but centre Aaron Rice was supporting and used his strength to cross the line, close to the posts, and outside-half Ash Groves landed the regulation conversion to give the hosts an early 7-0 advantage.
Taunton then dominated play for the next period, moving the ball in hand, forwards and backs linking superbly, sweeping down the slope on numerous occasions to pin Reds back. The home side tackled manfully and frustrated the Titans. Despite the hosts best efforts Taunton eventually crossed the line after multiple phases, neat handling and quick recycling saw the backs come on to the ball from deep and possession found it’s was to Gary Kingdom to touch down on the right, the full back’s conversion going wide.
Midway through the half more concerted pressure, good work close to the break down and excellent ball-retention resulted in second row forward Barrie-John Chapman being driven over, Kingdom converting and the Titans were dominating midway through the first half. When Reds found field position they threatened again but the accuracy with the final passes prevented the home side from reducing the lead. Winning the lions-share of possession Taunton continued to attack; on half an hour from a scrum deep in their own half they ran first phase ball and well-timed pass and great angle saw centre Nick Mason cut through the Reds defence at pace, from distance, to score an excellent try. The score went unconverted, but their lead had stretched to ten points. With ten minutes still to go to the break things looked ominous for the home side. However, a combination of good defence from Redcliffians and over-eagerness in attack from the Titans meant that the score remained Old Redcliffians 7 Taunton Titans 17 at half time. Taunton had played some excellent rugby; controlling possession and field position for long periods and it looked like they would go on to dominate after the break.
Reds came out for the second forty up against it, but looked a different side. Props Jake Caulfield and Alex Harvey were introduced to the front row from the bench and unexpectedly it was the hosts who were now dominating early but yet again but a lack of precision in the final approach play cost them dear. An early attack on the left threatened deep in the visitors twenty-two but the final pass went astray with the line begging. Moments later some excellent handling and interplay between backs and forwards had the Titans scrambling in defence, however with an overlap on the right looking likely to yield a try a poor pass prevented an almost certain score and a couple of excellent opportunities had gone begging.
The home crowd was wondering what their side had to do to score and where the revival was coming from! Persistence was eventually rewarded and the home pack was getting on top, they scrummaged close to the line and applied the pressure, the scrum being re-set. They pack began to edge the visitors back and crossed the line claiming a try, but the referee has other ideas and a further set-piece was called and Reds front five applied the pressure again. The scrum neared the line but control of the base was disrupted and eventually the referee awarded Old Reds a penalty which they kicked, Groves on target again to reduce the lead to seven points. All the pressure of the previous minutes was only rewarded with three points, a small reward for all the hard work; but it was to prove crucial in the finial reckoning.
After a brief series of Taunton attacks that Reds shut out it was the hosts with the upper hand again and Reds took the play to the Titans once again. Under pressure in their own territory and forced back at the scrum and at close quarters Taunton infringed and with the referee signaling a penalty Ash Groves kicked high over the onrushing defence and it was man-of-the-match Aaron Rice who leapt highest to gather the ball and use his power to cross the try line on the right hand side, the conversion from Groves was well-struck but rebounded from the post, and there was just two points in it.
Taunton still threatened, but Reds limited the visitors opportunities and they were now struggling to get back into it. Tails up the hosts threw everything into attack, in search of the win. After another series of plays they threatened the line only for lock Chris Pursall to be held up over the line, after a patient attack, and it was Old Reds who were now looking more likely winners.
The all-important score came with ten minutes to go when number eight Ethan Doyle, who was resilient throughout, broke numerous tackles to wrestle his way over, following some excellent ball retention. Groves converting from in front of the posts and Reds led for only the second time in the game with ten minutes to play.
Taunton weren’t going to roll over and a series of attacks ensued but under pressure mistakes cost them. However It wasn’t a matter of hanging on for the home team, and they mounted further attacks and it was Reds who were unlucky not to score again, the final pass going astray, but at the final whistle it was Old Redcliffians who were victorious after a superb second half revival.
The win lifts Reds to eleventh in the table, five points above the drop zone. Elsewhere Guernsey beat Dings Crusaders on home soil to keep their survival hopes alive and an in-form Birmingham & Solihull won again at Bury St. Edmunds. Next weekend’s opponents Worthing Raiders picked up two points in a narrow reverse at Tonbridge Juddians and are level on points with us.
Going into next weekend’s fixtures it is all to play for and another big performance is required on the road in Sussex to keep us in National Two South
Scorers:
Old Redcliffians
Tries: Rice (2), Doyle
Conversions: Groves (2)
Penalty: Groves
Taunton Titans
Tries: Kingdom, Chapman, Mason
Conversion: Kingdom
OLD REDCLIFFIANS
Craig Owen, Ezra Caven, Aaron Rice, Christian Gervais, James Clements, Ashley Groves, Kiyan Wiltshire, Craig McGrath, Kieran Ward, Ellis Joseph, Corey Talbot, Chris Pursall, Scott Parsons, Ben Fry, Ethan Doyle
Replacements: Alex Harvey, Jake Caulfield, Pat Zindi, Dominic Sprague, Jermaine Jones
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY WATTS MEDIA
Further images from this game and other Old Redcliffians fixtures this season
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