TAUNTON Titans beat Shelford 33-17 at Hyde Park in the National league 2 (South) yesterday - but could have won by a lot more if they had been more clincical.

Shelford who battled to the end but on another day the Titans could have run in another three or four tries.

The home side started brightly and after absorbing some early pressure moved their way down the field.

On their first incursion into the Shelford 22 Titans mounted an ominous-looking attack and the Shelford loose head prop was giveen a ten minute rest for preventing the ball coming out quickly.

The penalty was kicked into the corner the resulting driving maul went over with Dan Ogden the try scorer on his starting debut.

Titans created many opportunities but squandered them too easily but 20 minutes later wing Jack Faulkner raced in for a try on his return from injury.

Fellow wing Nick Mason was next on the score sheet after a lucky bounce which he gathered and ran in from half way. Full back Gary Kingdom added the extras for both tries.

Shelford then got a lucky bounce themselves. At a line-out on the Titans’ five metre line Shelford lost the aerial challenge but as the ball bounced it fell nicely for hooker Josh Taylor to score on the stroke of half time to make it 19-5.

The second half started well for the home side.

Lewis Webb, switched from scrum half to fly-half for this game, made a break and slipped the ball inside for second row Ben Turner to canter in for the bonus point try.

Shelford hit back with a quick try through Matt Gregson before Mason touched down for a second time after a great off-load by Kingdom.

With Kingdom adding the conversions to both tries the score was 33-10 with 15 minutes to go.

However Shelford had the last word on the day when Charlie Baker went over for a try converted by Ban Penfolds.

Taunton Titans: 15 Kingdom, 14 Mason, 13 Fraser, 12 Holdsworth (Popham 59), 11 Faulkner, 10 Webb, 9 Massey-Birch, 8 Lee (Capt), 7 J Fleming (Ogden 70), 6 Ogden (Newsam 52), 5 Turner (Harvey 52), 4 G Fleming (Turner 70), 3 Manton (Pullinger 35), 2 Spurdle (Davis 57), 1 Woolmore Shelford RFC: 15 Gough, 14 Chiwanga (Gregson 10 - 17)(Hewitt 59), 13 Anderson, 12 Smith, 11 Scott, 10 Penfolds, 9 Yeomans (Baker 46), 8 Lea (Capt), 7 Billows, 6 Jackowski, 5 Andriijauskas, 4 Mills, 3 Nagasima (Steenkamp 35 - 66), 2 Taylor (Reilly 48), 1 Steenkamp (Gregson 17 - 66), (Winter 66) Titans: tries – Ogden (07), Faulkner (27), Mason (34, 65), Turner (43). Conversions – Kingdom (28, 35, 43, 66). Yellow Cards – Webb (77).

Shelford: tries – Taylor (39), Gregson (47), Baker (77). Conversions: Penfolds (77). Yellow Cards – Steenkamp (7), Andriijauskas (62).

Referee: Luis Caviglia. Attendance: 215. Star man: Nick Mason (Titans).