Services suffer a heavy loss at Taunton

DEVONPORT FAIL TO BUILD ON THEIR VICTORY OVER REDRUTH

- CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

TAUNTON TITANS 57 DEVONPORT SERVICES 20

DEVONPORT Services crashed to a 57-20 National Two defeat at Taunton that dispelled the feel-good factor generated by defeating Redruth last time out.

Newly-promoted Services had not won a game all season before running into the Reds, who were turned over 27-23 at the Rectory thanks to a last-gasp try and conversion from Richard Goldsby-West.

Taunton, who arrived from the other direction on the way down from National One, were made of sterner stuff than Redruth. They got the measure of Services in the first half, and dismantled them in the second.

Kieran Leach, Services' team manager, said the trip to Priory Park was a sobering experience.

"Taunton certainly brought us back down to earth," said Leach.

"We were definitely in it up to half time. They might have been 24-8 up, but only because of two late tries. We had actually played well.

"In the second half we took two yellow cards close together it's hard enough one down at this level, never mind playing with 13 - and Taunton ran away from us.

"Taunton scored three tries when we were men down. They took us apart.

"Had we played in the second half as well as we did in the first, we probably would not have won. But it would have been a closer game." Leach said the other side of the coin was that Services finished on a positive note.

"Taunton scored their last try in the 72nd minute. We went flat out for three tries in the time left for a bonus point. We didn't get them, but we did manage two." Services' try scorers were Aiden Taylor, Billy Sutton and Charlie Groves. Goldsby-West kicked a penalty and a conversion.

Rocky Prowsel Vaea Taione (2) and Ratu Vakalutukali were Taunton's first-half try scorers. Louie Sinclair kicked a couple of conversions.

Vakalutukali bagged a second try nine minutes into the second half.