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Saturday 27th Jan. Match report by Duncan Disorderly
There were two significant events either side of the ref's final whistle in this merit table clash on mighty Launceston's first team paddock. The first was the evergreen Hamish Gordon's dart around the blind-side of the scrum to score the winning try from 22 metres out. The second, moments later, was the reaction of the home skipper who kicked a bucket while screaming "f**k at the top of his voice. It was difficult to know which gave Titans mastermind Noggin more pleasure, but it was the visiting side which left the field with a swagger."It's not often you come here and get a result, is it boys?" were his final words in the changing rooms. Winners are grinners!
Titans only picked up this fixture because of the club's inability to field a second team in recent weeks. Without regulars Diddy (gone back to Truro) and Milo (liposuction) it was always going to be a tall order for Noggin's band of "fat old bastards and a ginger kid," as described by a Launceston player before kick-off. While it is difficult to argue with the accuracy of that description, it belied the depth of talent and sheer determination the Titans possess.
In near perfect conditions, in front of a large and partisan crowd the home side started the better. On 10 minutes the fly-half cleverly noticed that the Titans full-back was caught in a ruck. from 25 metres out he chipped the defence to stroll in under the posts for the first try, which he also converted. 7-0.
The visitors soon established superiority at the scrummage with their front-row bullying their opponents at every scrum. The absence of Milo however, left them with few options at the line-out. In fact the home side won all but 2 during the 80 minutes of play.
From a scrum on half-way Charlie French at 10 released his backs on the right where the first of many breaks by Kieran Murphy put a flying Timmy in at the corner - only for the home touch judge to raise his flag for a foot in touch. It wasn't to matter because the Titans maintained the pressure for the ever-present Noggin himself to touch down by the posts from the back of a maul. Luke Wright converted to tie things at 7 each. It was the red rocket himself who scored next. A poor clearance kick from the home full-back fell straight into his hands a full 40 metres out. Luke charged straight at his opposing winger (who had at least four stones and 6 inches on him) dummied, skipped inside his man and raced on to score on the left.
10 minutes later a clever switch move from the home centres put their right winger into space. From fully 60 metres out it looked to all like he would score - but he was chased all the way and finally caught 5 metres short by Luke. Even man of the match Wright was unable to stop the supporting centre from diving over for the first of his three tries. The same strong-running centre bagged a second to put the home side 17-12 up at the half.
Skipper Gordon's wise words at the break seemed to help as first Kieran Murphy and then full-back Matt Niles scored to give the visitors a 17-24 lead mid way through the second period. The home sides fitter forwards engineered two more tries with five minutes remaining to sneak into a 27-24 lead and at that point the baying home crowd believed they had done enough to win. That was the way it stayed until the eightieth minute when Hamish's moment of genius gave the Titans a sweet, a very sweet, victory.
The next Titans game is in three weeks against Perranporth 2's.