Herald Express (Torbay, Brixham & South Hams Edition)
Teignmouth make leaders work hard for latest win
RYAN Hanauer sped over for a try at-trick in Torquay Athletic’s 67-0 win over Honiton. Victory keeps the Tics (51 points) second in the Devon One table where they are just two points behind leaders Devonport Services Pilgrims (53) with a game in hand.
Torquay have reached the Christmas break unbeaten at home, which was a definite target for coach Dan Williams. And it was the way Honiton were beaten that delighted the man in charge.
“Our attack shape was good and we scored a really good variety of tries,” said Wiliams.
“Our defence was really impressive and the line speed and organisation was on point.
“We work really hard on our defence and I think that shows with us having one of the best defensive records in the whole of the South West.
“It was frustrating that we did actually concede an interception try as it was more of us being sloppy than anything else.”
Hanauer bagged tries one and two in the first half as Torquay eased into a 29-0 lead. Ben Sharples, Noah Rider and Matt Allanson were the other try scorers. Lewis Crocker kicked the goals.
Callum Crocker opened the second-half scoring for the Tics and was followed over the line by Jake Akery, Alex Lowey, Hanauer, Allanson and finally Shane Wakeham. Crocker carried on kicking.
Honiton were 55-0 down when Dom Bernhardt’s try saved them from a whitewashing. Jonny House converted.
Torquay have two weeks off before the promotion push resumes away to North Tawton on January 6.
Said Williams: “We know the games we have after Christmas will be tough as we have six away games and only four at home.
“Our away record is a little hit and miss. Hopefully we have learned from those away games we have lost closely in the past.”
A Torquay Club XV and Torquay Grammar School Old Boys will contest the Chris Penford Cup on Boxing Day on the Recreation ground (12.30pm).
Paignton
made it six of the best in Counties Western West by winning 25-14 at Tavistock.
The Cherries
winning
streak started with a 50-19 romp over Falmouth and has continued with victories over Kingsbridge, Bude, St Ives, Cornish Pirates and now Tavistock on the way up to fifth in the table.
Martin Worthington, the Paignton coach, said he could not be happier with ‘back-to-back away wins over good sides.’
On the mechanics of beating Tavistock, Worthington said: “We defended really well and played in the right areas.
“And when we got the ball we put phases together.
“I was over the moon with our defence as Tavistock only scored one try. The other was a penalty try.”
Joel Caddy, the Tavistock coach, had no complaints about the outcome.
“Paignton were a tad more clinical than us at times as we struggled to string several phases together with elementary mistakes and unforced errors undoing all the hard work,” said Caddy.
“Paignton made fewer mistakes than we did and that had a lot to do with the result.
“It was disappointing to lose, but we cannot have any complaints about this defeat.
There was only a point in it at half time with Paignton 8-7 up. A penalty try accounted for Tavvy’s points.
Jack Worden, Richard Champion new signing Harry Davies, who has arrived from Brixham, were the Paignton try scorers. Brad McKee kicked the goals.
Andrew Schuttkacker got over for Tavistock in the second half.
swamped Old Technicians 51-5 at Norton to open up an 11-point lead t the top of Devon Two.
It was Dartmouth’s 13th league win in a row in what looks increasingly like a promotion season.
Dartmouth went 7-0 up in the first six minutes. By half time the lead was 27-0.
Try scorers were Billy Coulthart, Liam Hitchcock, Lewis Sharam and man of the match Myles Churchill. Sam Churchill kicked two conversions and a penalty.
Sharam opened the second-half scoring with a try from a line out. Coulthart sped over next, followed by Jack Gordon on the end of a run up the tramlines.
Will Bancroft took the outside route for Dartmouth’s final try. Sam Churchill added two more conversion kicks.
Andrew Tomkinson, the Dartmouth team manager, said the impressive thing about win number 13 was achieving it with a belowstrength side on duty.
He added: “Our discipline was good; obviously the players are listening to the coaches on training nights and we did not give silly penalties away.
“We did pick up a few injuries. Hopefully these players will recover after a couple of weeks off.”