Clifton unable to beat Titans unbeaten home record

Another disappointing day at the office as our poor form away from home continued as we slipped to our 4th successive away defeat.

The home side are intent on establishing Hyde Park ground as a fortress where other clubs will fear to visit. Currently they are unbeaten in the league and there are only 3 other sides who have not lost at home which are Hartpury, Cornish All Blacks and ourselves.

The decisive was a powerful display by the home pack in the tight and driving mauls. Our pack was sent reeling backwards at scrum time while the well organised line out drives of the Titans proved unstoppable

We looked dangerous when the ball was moved away from the forwards but were not helped by the heavy conditions underfoot.

We had an early opportunity to score when the ball was moved down the touchline but at the vital moment with no defender in sight the ball was lost forward.

We were on top at this stage and Brad Barnes saw a penalty attempt slide wide of the posts.

Just before the end of the first quarter the home side lost possession in Clifton territory and the ball was hacked downfield by Rupert Freestone but close to the line a Titans defender was able to carry the ball over the line..

At the resultant scrum our weakness was first exposed as we were pushed off the ball.

With the weakness exposed the Titans elected to use the scrum and driving mauls as the focus of their play.

The Titans elected to take a scrum when a penalty was awarded close to the line and when the scrum collapsed the referee awarded penalty try which Jamie Forrester converted.

We swiftly responded with Barnes opening our account with a penalty’

On the half hour we went in front when we demonstrated we could launch a catch and drive and Freestone crossed for a try converted by Barnes.

Forrester levelled the scores with a penalty from 10 metres inside his own half on the stroke of halftime.

He left the field shortly after the break with a knock to the head,

Adam Ledner was sent to the bin when he was for illegally stopping a forward drive and Gary Titan restored the Titans lead with the resultant penalty.

The standard of play slipped the third quarter as both sides struggled on the wet turf with errors and sound defensive play being the order of the day.

The deadlock was broken when a powerful scrimmage close to the line broke up in disarray and a second penalty awarded which Kingdom converted .

We began to win more possession putting the home side under pressure and Barnes landed his second penalty of the afternoon to bring us insight of a losing bonus point.

Our hopes were short lived as the Titans launched yet another drive from distance which ended when veteran prop Mark Manton for a try converted by Kingdom to put the game out of sight.

Manton who is 46 has been around the Deon scene for years and I recall him tormenting a young Clifton front row when he played for Plymouth some 20 odd years ago. His experience is certainly an asset to the Titans and reminded me of the value Darryl Hickey brought to our pack some 10 plus years ago.

After the game Matt Salter said “Trying to deal with set-pieces is difficult when teams threaten with them from near the halfway. We need to understand that we’re not perhaps as good as we think we are. We need to keep the ball for longer periods.

On Saturday we entertain Bournemouth who were are first visitors when leagues started. I cannot recall why but the game was played on the Wanderers pitch and was refereed by Laurie Bryant.

Last year they completed the double over so we hope to break the trend.