It's very scenic the Plymouth Argaum pitch, with an uninterrupted view of the peaks of Dartmoor, you can particularly appreciate the wild, rugged beauty when its 2 degrees above freezing while walking the 400 metres from the clubhouse to the pitch.
On Saturday for their first league visit to Argaum, Falmouth Eagles also found the ground heavy, the pitch uneven and the home team scenting victory. Graham Whitmore's side knew that the home team were snapping at their heels in the league and this result would make the difference between the team being in fourth or sixth position.
Early exchanges saw both teams vying for physical superiority, with a number of monumental clashes but effectively this meant stalemate with play stuck in the middle of the field. It was only penalties that presented either team with the chance to kick into the scoring zone.
Argaum struck first, from a 5 metre scrum they drove the Falmouth pack over the line with Number 8 Nick Carter touching down, Tom Richards converting.
Falmouth fought their way back into the game, Simon Bailey taking the initiative and Irons using the wind to good effect. From a penalty kick to the corner, Olly Church steered the maul across the whitewash, Justyn Irons converting. Argaum had two penalty opportunities to increase the lead but Richards was having one of those days with the boot so it was all square 7 each at halftime.
Falmouth seized the initiative in the second half as following a strong run from centre Ben Ackner, play was switched back to Eagles second row Steve Instance who stretched to score for the second game in a row, Irons securing a tough conversion from the touchline.
It’s a cliché that straight after a score is the most dangerous time for a team but it proved true as the Eagles lost concentration, a dropped ball and kick to the corner gave Argaum a catch and drive opportunity which was temporarily resisted by Falmouth before scrum half, Ellery Jones squirmed over the line, fly Half Richards missing the conversion.
Momentum firmly in their favour the hosts scored again. A midfield move, with more than a hint of illegal crossing, stopped the Eagles defence in their tracks but Argaum played to the whistle and wing Tom Worboys darted into the corner. Richards again failed to convert, and followed this with another missed penalty opportunity, which would have put the match almost out of sight.
As the game entered the final stages there were a couple of heated exchanges between the forwards as the Eagles, largely on the back foot, forced a rare visit into the Argaum half and earned a penalty, Justyn Irons seizing his opportunity to level the scores.
Richards, in the dying seconds, had one final opportunity to win the match but compounded his miserable day with the boot with another failure, much to Falmouth’s relief. The draw moving the Eagles up to fourth in the table, next week they face another challenging trip to Plymstock Albion Oaks.
Falmouth;
Cock, Church, Searle, S. Instance, Baglow, Ward, Simmons, Bailey, Spiller, Irons, Lea, Acker, Jones, Rowe, Job.
Reps, Varker, Edmonds, J. Instance
Written by James Instance. Photo by Jason Dreyer.
