National One Rugby: Taunton Titans 57-26 Rosslyn Park

TAUNTON Titans showed the National One Rugby division how good they can be when they are firing in this 57-26 win over Rosslyn Park.

In front of 854 fans at Veritas Park, the Titans came out on top quite comfortably in the end, helped by some high-quality attack in the second half.

The home side opened the scoring in the second minute when prop Alex Rodd crossed for a try.

He charged over the line off the back of a line out maul, which came from some great kicking for positioning. George Worboys converted for 7-0.

In the 14th minute Worboys converted a penalty to take it 10-0 for Taunton after they kept the pressure on for the opening of the half.

Rosslyn Park took about 15 minutes to get into the game and from their first real drive forward they made about sixty metres however Taunton managed to turn the ball over.

In the 19th minute Rosslyn Park pulled a try back as Benjamin Marfa sprinted through a broken defence and it was converted by Luke Smith for 10-7.

Just two minutes later Smith crossed for a try himself, down the middle in some broken play to score under the posts. He converted it for 10-14 to Rosslyn Park.

The Titans rallied though and after a slog up the pitch in the 26th minute Isaac Dalton went over in the corner off the back of another rolling maul from a line out. Worboys missed the conversion, but the score was 15-14 in favour of Taunton.

The back-and-forth nature of the half continued as Rosslyn Park moved the ball around and crossed in the corner in the 29th minute, it too was unconverted and the score was 15-19 at the half time break.

The performance had the crowd smiling ear to ear. (Image: Clayton Jane)

In the first minute of the second half, Ratu Vakalutukali scored right down the middle after an impressive line break, and it was converted for 22-19.

However, Rosslyn Park go the length after turning the ball over just minutes later to score an amazing try to go back in front 22-26.

That would be the visitors last score though as Taunton ran riot from here on in.

Five minutes later Taunton scored after managing to keep the ball for a large period of possession, Charlie Wright scoring under the posts, the score was then 29-26.

From another line out maul in the 50th minute, the Titans went close; from there they spread the ball across to Frankie Dart who side stepped his way under the posts. A great converted try to take the score to 36-26.

Again, from a maul Alex Rodd scored his second of the afternoon after Taunton tried a few times to dive over. Worboys converted and Taunton were in front 43-26 with 20 minutes to go.

In the 62nd minute, on debut winger, Noah Fenton, intercepted the ball on his own 22 and sprinted the length to score under the posts.

It was a truly special moment for the youngster on his first game for Taunton Rugby Club as he scored right in front of a group of his friends who, along with the home crowd, shouted and cheered for the young winger and also the Titans, who has surely wrapped up the points.

Fenton crossed soon after for his second of the match, this time in the corner and the crowd went wild again! Worboys converted from the side line, and that sealed the match, with the final score at 57-26.

It was a great game for Taunton, as they looked a side comfortable in attack during the second half. The backs ran the ball with confidence and the forward line, as always, were solid throughout the game.

With just two games to go and the Titans very much in a relegation scrap still, it would be fair to say is this performance too little too late.

Esher is the side currently battling Taunton to avoid the third relegation place, and they too won on Saturday afternoon.

For now, Taunton need to focus on their own performances and winning the final two games is all they can control.

Play like this again though, and they should be confident they can win the final games against Birmingham and Leeds Tykes.