Rugby League South-West Conference: Plymouth Titans 67, Somerset Vikings 36.
SOMERSET Vikings kicked off the new season with defeat away to highly rated Plymouth Titans.
The game started disastrously for the visitors. Plymouth opted to play down the considerable slope at their Stonehouse ground and took full advantage.
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By the end of the first quarter they had amassed a 24-0 lead thanks to four converted tries. The Vikings were guilty of far too many missed tackles and the defensive line went missing under relentless home pressure.
In an isolated attack Alex Chase scored for the Vikings but they were still gifting the ball away to a team who needed no second invitation to embarrass their visitors. Two more tries followed, again both converted before a neat side step from Gary Ibbotson brought some half time consolation for the team from Taunton. Jamie Grant converted to leave the score at 36-10 to Plymouth.
Coach Chris Richards' half-time pep talk was still being digested when Plymouth scored again immediately on the restart to increase the lead to 42-10 when a real massacre was on the cards.
Craig Williams, last seasons leading try scorer for the Vikings, pulled four points back but Plymouth restored the advantage almost at once.
From now on however Somerset began to dominate. Jon Ferguson, back after missing the whole of last season through injury, was secure at full-back and made useful yards to launch several attacks. With the advantage of the slope the Vikings repeatedly broke from dummy half and Paul Shepherd pounced on a cross-field kick on the fifth tackle to score from close range.
Further scores from Jason Wood and Matthew Dewsnap further narrowed the deficit.
With the Vikings playing catch up rugby it was not much of a surprise when Plymouth scored a opportunist interception try which sealed the result. Williams crossed the try line again near the end and Grant added the extras but Plymouth had the last word to run out worthy winners.
The Vikings are away again this Saturday, at Exeter Centurions, before their first home match, a friendly against Lancashire tourists Clockface Miners. The first home league game is on May 31 against East Devon Sharks.
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