Taunton Titans v Cinderford

“I was happy with this good win and pleased at how the team were brave enough to keep playing even though they were up against it for long periods, and how well they were able to build on the score in the second half.”  These were the comments from Head Coach Tony Yapp after the game.  There are some key parts in this statement starting with “team”. Whilst Ratu Vakalutukali (Toots) was the worthy “man of the match”, not only for his tries but also for his leadership of a cohesive team.  “Keep playing”, they most certainly did right until the last whistle.  “they were up against it” they most certainly were with very little possession for long periods and having to pull out all of their experience and commitment to defend.  They most certainly built up their score in the second half and took their limited opportunities.

In the first 12 minutes the Titans had conceded 4 penalties which continually put them under pressure and only had one short foray into the Cinderford half.  15 minutes another penalty conceded and Cinderford kick to the corner and yet again win the lineout and maul to the line.  How well the Titans defence defended keeping the opposition at bay. Gradually they worked their way from their own line and they themselves were awarded a penalty which Louie Sinclair placed fantastically just inside the Cinderford 22metre line.  This was the first time the Titans had been inside the Cinderford 22.  Sam Leworthy rose majestically in the lineout to secure the ball and the forwards drove towards the line.  After gaining some yards the ball came back to Joe Snow, his dummy to pass was so convincing, the fringes of the maul opened up like the Red Sea and his pace and strength took him through for the first try of the game.  Louie converted, and completely against the run of play after twenty minutes the Titans had as even-point lead.  The sixth penalty conceded by the Titans after 26-minutes which again was for a scrummaging infringement, resulted in a yellow card for the Titans and such was the frustration of Cinderford that they did not have any points on the board as well as being behind in the score, they opted to kick at goal and the kick went wide.  Oscar Kolowski also went off so that Ollie Schuster Wood could come on as a replacement.  This was going to be a hard 10 minutes but the Forwards weathered the storm before being returning to 15 players.  They also did not give away any penalties during this period but alas in the last minute of the first half another penalty conceded a kick to the corner by Cinderford who then caught and mauled to the Titans line with Cinderford Hooker Nathan Taylor scoring his fourteenth try of the season.  The conversion was missed and this left the Titans with a slender 2-point lead at halftime.  

The second half started following a similar pattern to the first, with Cinderford attacking and keeping possession, the Titans conceding penalties and Cinderford winning the lineout and mauling towards the Titans line.  Twice Cinderford crossed the line and twice the Titans held them up.  The Titans continued to defend and started to win ball although deep in their own half and so on 45-minutes Ollie Devoto broke free, a superb kick set Oscar Kolowski in a chase for the ball and he put so much pressure on the Cinderford defender that he knocked the ball on resulting in a scrum to the Titans.  This was a solid scrum and Ben O-T picked up in a classic number eight pick-up and ran with pace at the opposing number10.  It took three of them to stop him and he laid the ball back for Toots to pick up and go in for the try which Louie converted.  Twice against the run of play the Titans score and now had a 14-point to 5 lead.  On 55-minutes the Titans scrum came under pressure again and another penalty which Cinderford kicked to the corner.  Another lineout and maul and Nathan Taylor goes in for his 15^th try of the season.  The conversion is missed and the Titans now have only a four-point lead.  Cinderford kick off Harry Wright secures the ball several drive phases from the forwards back to Ollie Devoto in his twenty-two and he sets of on a break supported by none other than Toots who continues and breaks two tackles at pace with Oscar Kolowski outside him.  If he passes the speed of Oscar should get him away but to everyone’s surprise Toots kicks the ball.  Oscar is now in a foot chase which he is winning, he picks up the ball and scores a sensational try from a really inspired kick by Toots.  Louie adds the extras and now we have the Titans with an 11-point lead with 20 minutes to go.  This lead was extended to 17-pointswhen Toots went in for his second try on 65-minutes which again Louie converted.  Almost from the kick off on68 minutes and over in the far corner Cinderford have kicked through, surely Ollie Devoto had got back and touched down before the Cinderford replacement Sam Allford.  No said the referee try to Cinderford which they converted.  Back to an eleven-point lead.  The last twelve minutes were tense and exciting with the Titans starting to win more ball and even pushing the opposition back in the scrums. Good decision making and a sense of togetherness in the team earned them a hard-fought win.

There is now a week off for both teams before they venture into the realms of South Gloucestershire for a double header against Clifton.  This will be tough for both teams.

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