Teignmouth win ding-dong but NA are safe

TEIGNMOUTH defeated Newton Abbot 27-20 in a ding-dong derby that could have gone either way until the final few minutes.

Although Teignmouth went into their final Two South West tussle of the season safe from the threat of relegation, it was a slightly different story for Newton Abbot, who were not mathematically safe.

Newton Abbot lived to fight another day in the division as Chard, the relegation worriers who could have caught them, lost at Wadebridge and are doomed to the drop.

Teignmouth took the lead on 10 minutes when Jamie Gray powered over in the corner. Jack Mayne’s conversion kick was blown off course.

Newton, dominant in most of the scrums, responded with a scissors set play from a set piece that sent Jed Griffin in for a try Tom Steer converted for a 7-5 lead.

Teignmouth had to soak-up a lengthy period of Newton Abbot pressure before Will Sowden lead a breakout move that climaxed in Jack Bond scoring under the posts against one of his former clubs. Mayne converted for a 12-7 lead.

Steer quickly cut the leeway with a penalty then added the extras to a Charlie Dore try for a 15-12 half-time lead.

Mayne levelled it for Teignmouth two minutes into the second half with a penalty. The Teigns went back in front on 53 minutes when Sowden dotted down and Mayne goaled.

Newton hit back with another try from a scrum platform. Ollie Pead attacked on the blind side before releasing Connor Makellar for an easy try that cut the deficit to two points.

Five minutes from time Dan Allison put Teignmouth a score clear when he got over from a tap penalty.

Pete Parsons, the Teignmouth skipper, said he was happy to win ugly.

“To be honest we weren’t particularly happy with our performance against Newton, however a bonuspoint win against our nearest rivals is never something to be sniffed at,” said Parsons.

For Chris Thomas, the Newton Abbot team manager, the game should be filed under the heading ‘one that got away’.

“We must have dominated 80 per cent of the game but, alas, clinical finishing letting us down again,” said Thomas.