A fond farewell!

Fourth win in a row and impressive run of form

Report from Plymouth Sports Gazette

AUSTRALIAN Hamish Dawson marked his final appearance for Tavistock by claiming the match-winning try in their 12-7 victory away at South Molton.

It was Tavistock’s fourth win in a row and that impressive run of form has taken them from sitting in the relegation zone to moving 14 points clear of it.

Scrum-half Dawson and fellow Australian Doug Morgan-Thomas have played a major role in club’s revival, but both were playing their final games for the Tavistock on Saturday.

“On a mud-bath of a pitch we managed to pull out the victory we wanted to send Hamish and Doug of with,” said Tavistock coach Hammy Kerswill. “It was really, really nice to send them off in that way.

“They have made a massive difference to us. Where they have made the most difference is just bringing everyone together and bringing that belief that the players have now got.

“We now need to prove we have not been carried by two players. That hasn’t been the case whatsoever, but those two have helped make us, if that makes sense – they’ve got everyone’s belief up.

“Hopefully, next week when we go to Withycombe we can make it five in a row.”

Kerswill admitted Tavistock’s impressive defence won them the game at South Molton.

“We defended really, really well,” he said. “They (South Molton) do attack around the fringes quite a lot and it is quite readable, but when a team has blokes that big and strong and they put together that many phases it does take its toll. But we defended so well.”

Tavistock, playing down the slope first, led 5-0 at half-time with Dawson feeding Andrew Craddock to go score.

But after the break, South Molton went in front when Reece Eury touched down and Callum Stone converted.

South Molton tried to build on that but Tavistock, with full-back Jack Glover impressing, refused to let them in again.

And the visitors went back in front when Dawson intercepted a pass from the base of a South Molton scrum on their own line to score. Craddock converted to put them five points ahead.

“The rest of the game they were pretty much in possession but our defence just held strong,” said a delighted Kerswill.