Titans turn up volume to plunder the points
DISMISSING the wet, conditions which made the going under foot sticky at best, both teams produced an entertaining game of rugby on a trying day.
Bury director of rugby Ollie Smith admitted afterwards: “Sometimes in this league teams tend to throw the ball around even if it’s not tactically right.
“But I thought in those conditions, on a pitch like that, both teams got their tactics correct and this led to an entertaining game. There were mistakes from both teams but tactically they both got it right.”
Both teams struggled to keep hold of the ball.
But the Titans completed several sets of attacking phases and managed to create the space for Jack Claydon to race down the wing to score in the corner after ten minutes.
The trusty boot of Gary Kingdom converted from out wide to give his side a seven-point lead.
The game tended to go end to end for the rest of the half, with both sides guilty of messing up scoring chances.
However, it was Bury who managed to score next when second-row Will Scholes burst through a gap to score under the posts.
Fly-half Fraser Honey converted to tie the scores at half-time.
If one side was going to win the game, it would be down to controlling the ball.
With both sides playing for territory, Taunton took the initiative after raising the tempo.
After a great break by Dan Frost, flanker Jamie
Fleming received the inside pass to score.
Kingdom converted once again from out wide and then added a penalty to make the score 17-7.
Bury kicked a penalty through Honey, but it was the Titans who saw the game out with a third try, this one scored by hooker Chris Francis.
He hit a great line to break the defence and go over. Kingdom converted once again to finish the scoring and give Taunton the spoils.
Titans head coach Tony Yapp said: “From our firsthalf performance, where we tried to play a little too much rugby in our own half, we are pleased to come away with the win.
“I thought we got the second half right.
“Our replacements made a good impact and added some tempo.
“In those conditions it was going to be tough for both teams and you know it’s bad when both sides change shirts at half time.
“However, they all played some good rugby.
“Bury are a good side and were very dogged, so to stretch away from them at the end was very pleasing.”