National League 2S

Taunton Titans 15 Cambridge 21

AFTER a week of good weather, the conditions were almost perfect for two teams who like to play an expansive game and both teams delivered a great game of rugby, writes Keith Brooking.

With the first 10 minutes going back and forth between the two 22 metres, it was an even contest with both sides cancelling each other out.

After one missed penalty, Gary Kingdom got the first points on the board with a penalty for the home side.

The Titans then extended their advantage with a well-taken try by winger Nick Mason to give them an 8-0 lead.

Taunton Titans were making it hard for Cambridge to get out of their half.

With the visitors playing into the wind, the Titans' defence was forcing errors.

The hosts had a couple of clear chances but a fumble near the line where the ball just needed picking up to score and a poorly executed pass meant these two try-scoring opportunities were blown.

Cambridge then attacked with purpose and a couple of missed tackles and the visitors converted their first scoring opportunity with a try near the posts just before half-time to make the score 8-7.

The Titans then had prop Alec Chase sent to the sin bin before the half was up but managed to hold the visitors out.

Cambridge came out in the second half full of running and turned down a couple of kickable penalties to, instead, go for the lineout.

The first couple of times the Titans managed to disrupt the ball but Cambridge scored two converted tries in five minutes, one of which was while winger Alex O’Meara was in the sin bin for a deliberate knock-on.

O’Meara then made amends with a try which Kingdom converted to bring the Titans within one converted try.

The Titans then threw everything at Cambridge for the last 10 minutes but their defence held firm and saw the game out to seal the win and finish off any hope the Titans have of making a move for the top two places in the league.

The difference in the two teams was marginal but Cambridge showed that ruthless edge and converted the try-scoring opportunities they were presented with.

The Titans missed a couple which, at the top end of the league, is the difference between league leaders and their challengers.

Taunton Titans: 15 Kingdom, 14 Mason, 13 Brown, 12 Fraser, 11 O’Meara, 10 East, 9 Webb (Massy-Birch 68), 8 Prior (Claydon 39 – 48), 7 Vakalutukali (Frost 64), 6 Fleming (Capt), 5 Hales (Turner 6), 4 Chapman (Persey 57), 3 Caulfield, 2 Gatford, 1 Chase (Claydon 68).

Attendance: 250