Sarries2009 1stXV Match Report

Seniors 1st XV - Match Report (League Fixture)
(12/12/09) Teignmouth 1stXV - Home (Won 25-15)

Exeter Saracens got back to winning ways at Withycombe with their second victory against Teignmouth this season. It was a great day for rugby with clear skies and the kindly loaned Withycombe pitch holding up well to the recent rainfall. Saracens were playing with some experimental positional changes and these along with lack of recent match practice caused a lack of precision in the first half. Teignmouth played the slope very well in the first half pinning Sarries back in to their own half time and again. It was deserving that the visitors opened the scoring with a well worked try by Jake Berry early in the first half and they exerted further pressure to force a simple penalty giving themselves an 8 point lead mid way through the first half. It seemed paramount that Sarries scored next to instil some belief and from hard work throughout the team Teignmouth conceded a penalty with Exeter possibly deserving more than the three points from the boot of Brian Logan.

From the restart Sarries continued to apply pressure in the Teignmouth half and things were starting to click with some great jinking runs from Mat Hilton and fantastic kick chases from Darren Light and Ben Cowley. The forwards were also starting to offer themselves in attack with strong running at close quarters from Shane Padbury and Keith Ballantyne. The final breakthrough however wasn't forthcoming for the Exeter side and crushingly Teignmouth did what they do so well by converting turnover ball into a great breakaway try from within their own half. The teigns winger broke two or three tackles before scoring in the corner on the stroke of half time with fly half Dan Force adding the extras and providing Teignmouth with a 15-3 half time lead.

Sarries regrouped well in the second half and showed the self-belief in one another that has done them so well this season. Some great offload play and support running from Matt Abbott opened up the Teignmouth defence where stand in captain Rob Hilton was available to link up with regular captain Keiran Bromell who scythed through the remaining defenders to score between the posts. A simple conversion from Logan followed and Sarries with increasing dominance up front worked their way back in to Teingmouth territory. A couple of strong runs from replacement Alex Moore set up good field position from where the second row was able to bump off a defender and feed full back Aled Gamble for a score in the corner. With the scoreboard now level Sarries were gaining increasing confidence fuelled by their impressive destruction of the Teignmouth scrum time after time. The screw was really turned when the Sarries pack drove Teignmouth off their own ball fifteen metres out and surged on for Rob Hilton to touch down for a long range push over try.

With Teignmouth's heads down Sarries were in full flow and it wasn't long before they forced a penalty inside the Teignmouth half, Mat Hilton now finding his feet at fly-half stepped up to nudge the ball deep into the Teignmouth twenty-two. From the line-out a perfect catch and drive was executed and Sarries again showed their forward power for Sam Williams to touch down for a 25-15 lead. The last exchanges grew hectic with Teignmouth needing a breakaway try and Sarries again pressurising the visitor's line. The game was ended by a superb tackle from replacement wing Aaron Brereton on the Teignmouth number 8 who had got up a huge head of steam from a blindside break.

This result showed that the tables have truly turned from Teignmouth's dominance against Exeter last season. To score 22 unanswered points in the second half for a come back win showed great confidence and commitment from the team. The positive attitude was highly commendable and the squad will be looking forward to their trip to Bideford next week as they begin to get back into their stride.