19/10/2026
Tavistock verses Brixham Crusaders 17 October 2026
I arrived at Tavistock’s ground to be met with a very rearranged Crusaders team.
Ashley Chart playing at full back, Jake Jones in the centre alongside flanker/No 8, Cameron Wannell with Niall Jackson on the wing. Brother Evan was on the bench alongside Scott Pearce and Gribbs.
To put your mind at rest Gribbs did not have to go on!
Tavi kicked off into the wind. We secure the ball but pass forward in the ensuing play. Tavi’s scrum. They won the ball going backwards as their scrum did all afternoon with the Crusaders pack, dominant. We gave a penalty but after words of advice from Tavi the penalty was reversed! Our kick failed to find touch, giving Tavi wide open spaces to run at us, which they did, very effectively, working their way towards our line and then pressuring the line until they scored a converted try under the posts.
Tavistock 7 Crusaders 0
We have possession taken from us illegally after pressure on their line. Instead of the penalty we take a scrum from which the ball was whipped out along the line, with the result that Cam Wannell crashed over out wide for an unconverted try.
Tavistock 7 Crusaders 5
The ball was received and Dylan Arr burst through the defence and the ball was swiftly passed between Alex Parrot and Dan Goyner. The way looked clear to the line but an injured Tavi player caused the ref to stop the game. I noticed that Niall Jackson was putting in some hard tackles during the next phase of the game. After a great Ashley break he was brought down illegally and from the ensuing penalty Alfie Greatorex kicked to their 5m. The line-out was secured and the ball spun out along the line with Cameron driving his way over for his second try! Converted by Alfie Greatorex.
Tavistock 7 Crusaders 12
The forwards were making big inroads into the Tavi defence, and there was also some very strong tackling, particularly by Jamie Dewhirst.
We now stared to make unenforced errors, particularly when in good positions, and also it seems, when a Tavi player is injured and the ref stops the game! It is now Tavi’s tern to put us under the cosh. They run at us and exerted big pressure. We are tackling and giving away penalties in about equal numbers as we try to stem the assault on out line. Tavi are running every penalty and eventually they score under the posts
Tavistock 14 Crusaders 12
We again seem happy to surrender good possession to Tavi with unenforced errors. However whenever we have the ball in hand we are looking dangerous. When defending we are putting down their bigger players with determination and aggression. Alex Radcliffe always to the forfront, together with Dylan Arr, Dan Gloyns and Harvey Piper with many good tackles and powerful drives. It was great to see Miles Churchill playing his first game for the Crusaders this season, showing that he has not lost any of his pace and aggression. It goes without saying that Ollie Stride was full of running and being bloody annoying to the opposition!
Back to the game. Yes, we are giving away too many penalties, but I wonder if this is because we are so intent of bringing down the opposition from breakdowns that we stray offside. Something we need to control, particularly when we are under pressure in defence. Easier said than done I hear you say!
Now really back to the game!
We did continue giving away possession with some silly errors. Throwing in too long, and not straight, were also included in this category.
Another Tavi player went down injured when we were on the attack. Play continued with bot out to Jake sides contesting well. I felt that the Crusaders were getting the best of it even with the penalty count!
We were pinned on our 5m line, turned the ball over, Alfie spun the ball to Jake jones who surged through the centre to pass to Joe Webber who beat his man and when the full back came across, put a grubber kick through towards Tavi’s 5m line. The covering wing had no alternative but to kick the ball into touch with Joe breathing down his neck! From the line-out the ball passed through several phases until Dylan took it on, out to Jake and on to Ashley Chart who had come up in support. He powered his way over the line for a try out wide. Alfie must be wondering why they are making all the kicks so difficult for him!!
Tavistock 14 Crusaders 17 and half-time.
Crusaders now had wind behind them. Tavi kicked to touch and we won their line and made good ground but a pass was adjudged forward. They won the ball but we robbed them and continued to pressure them, but a dropped ball gave them a scrum from which they ran hard at us right up to our line. We defended very well but eventually after continued thrusts by Tavi, they scored out wide.
Tavistock 19 Crusaders 17
Scott Pearce replaced Harvey Piper who had had a couple of niggling injuries in the first half. We continued with unenforced errors, but had adequate ball to mount several runs at the defence, moving ever nearer the line. With continual pressure on their line Tavi eventually conceded the try, scored by Scott Pearce forcing himself over.
Tavistock 19 Crusaders 22
This is really a game of one team scoring and then the other. Very exciting to watch but not good for the blood pressure. We kick out of defence for them to collect the ball and set up another attack. Pressure on their line forced a pass to go into touch. Won the line but gave away a penalty that they kicked to our 5m line. Catch and drive gave them a try.
Tavistock 24 Crusaders 22
Great KO by Alfie allowed us to win their line-out and run the ball, with Jake and Cameron in the vanguard. However, the inevitable penalty was given away. They now run at us but it’s their turn to knock on, which leads to a penalty to us on halfway. We have both forwards and outsides inter-passing, winning several breakdowns until Dan Gloyns, returning to his scoring in every match until last week, struck again. Barging over in his usual aggressive style. Alex Parrot, who had been making his presence felt in all parts of the field and captaining the side with composure and yet aggression left the field to allow Evan Jackson to replace him.
Tavistock 24 Crusaders 27
On the restart we won the ball and set up several attacks. These were stemed by good tackling until the ball arrived in Jake Jones’ hands and he shrugged off tackles to score in the corner.
Tavistock 24 Crusaders 32 Great kick from Alfie gave us the extra 2 points to put us 10 points ahead 24---34.
Tavi were certainly not giving up and forced another converted penalty in front of our posts.
Tavistock 27 Crusaders 34.
One more score and the match is drawn! They threw everything at us but our defence was secure to earn us a winning score of Tavistock 27 Crusaders 34.
It was great to see us maintain our commitment through to the end of this game. It was tough, but we did not lose focus as we have in previous games. A definite positive.
Plenty of things to work on in training, plus plenty of positives to tuck under our belts. A hard fought win. A game in which we kept or cool and perspective. Gribbs and James will have been heartened with your attitude.
