If you cast your memory back to the beginning of this rugby season you will recall the Titans went unbeaten through September and October on a run of victories that swept them to the top of National 2 South, writes Dick Macey.    

They then travelled up to Sunbury in West London to take on London Irish Wild Geese and there they hit a solid green wall of Celtic resistance, not only losing convincingly and deservedly, but suffering such a jolt to their confidence they only won two of their next seven games and had their promotion-seeking noses put firmly out of joint.

It is not surprising, therefore, that the Taunton boys would be looking to reverse that earlier massive hiccup and wreak some revenge in the return fixture last Saturday.  

Despite the weather over the previous week the pitch held up remarkably well and although sticky still leant itself to some running rugby.    

The Geese have a much vaunted free-scoring back line but on this occasion they were held at bay, certainly during the first session, by some solid Titans defence and some effective forward play which put the Titans in control at half-time 26-5.

The second half was all about how the referee interpreted the game and saw a shaken Titans emerge winners 31-24 having been knocked by a red card being shown to Titans’ big fellah, Sam Prior, for an alleged rucking offence, and two yellow cards being shown and two penalty tries being awarded in consequence to the visitors for collapsing rolling mauls. 

Those events plus an unconverted try had brought the Geese to within one score of the Titans and which brought about a nerve-wracked final ten minutes which stretched into twenty minutes as the referee added further time for stoppages.   

At least the Titans will be thankful to have emerged with five points for their bonus point win and Geese went home with two bonus points for their tries and being within seven points at the final whistle.

This coming Sunday the Titans travel to the Thames Valley for the game against Henley Hawks which was postponed due to the snow dumped on the West Country by the Beast from the East and the following week they make a similar journey to Sonning to take on Redingensians in what might prove to be an epic battle.   

The next home game will be on April 7 when the visitors will be Chinnor for what will without doubt be a toughie to be preceded by a Friends’ carvery lunch - treats not be missed!