After being on the wrong end of too many agonisingly close finishes, Richmond for once rode their luck, claiming all five points as a last minute Taunton penalty narrowly drifted wide. The win keeps Richmond at seventh place in the table, whilst Taunton slip to 13th.

Once again, Richmond had several changes to their side. With Alex Post away, Garin Lloyd made his first start for the club, having come off the bench the previous week. On the wing Hamish Graham returned, whilst the best news was the return from long term injury of flanker David Massey. On the bench, Barnaby Vaughan made his club debut as front row cover.

For any but the most short term Richmond follower, the day was dominated by memories of club legend Andy Quigley. The afternoon started with a minute’s respectful silence from a crowd of over 900.

As if inspired, Richmond claimed the opening score just over one minute later. Max Murphy got possession from the kick off, and a cross kick set up an attacking lineout. When the ball was moved down the line, the centres stood up well in the tackle and Graham got the ball with one defender to beat. A neat chip was perfectly judged, and the winger beat the cover to claim the touchdown in the corner.

In the very next action, Jake Monson grabbed the kick off ball and romped into space, nearly setting Chidera Obonna away, but progress was denied by a Taunton penalty, the first of four conceded in the opening fourteen minutes.

With some additional Richmond wobbles at the lineout, Taunton now dominated possession and Richmond were forced back into defence. When Richmond did get the ball, they tried to move it wide but the passing and handling on a cold day were frustratingly inaccurate.

The scrums were messy, seldom staying straight and too often resulting in penalties, first one way and then the other. After a quarter of an hour, the Titans got an equalising try following the fourth of those penalties. From a lineout about eight metres out, Taunton stayed admirably patient and built pressure until winger Oscar Stewart forced his way over in the corner, brushing off the cover tackle. Frankie Dart added a good conversion.

Eight minutes later, the Titans had their second try. Stewart made a clean break and found support when tackled near the home 22. Richmond scrambled back but not quickly enough as flanker Luke Bralsford was first to the loose ball near the line and got the touchdown. Dart again converted and Richmond were 5-14 down.

Richmond did now work their way back into the game. Luc Jones was almost away after a neat pop pass but, within five metres, the scoring pass went straight into touch. A charge down also offered hope, but the ball ricocheted over the dead ball line. Then in the 37th minute, Graham had a chance to send in Miles Wakeling unopposed. However, a well judged tackle clobbered the winger just as he tried to release the ball.

Nevertheless, Richmond persisted and were finally rewarded with their second score just before half time. Richmond won a scrum penalty and Ted Landray kicked for the corner. Monson secured the lineout ball and the pack drove forward till pulled down just short of the line. A penalty was awarded, though no yellow card, but Jones was alert and promptly tapped and set off, finding try scorer Luke Spring on his shoulder. At half time Richmond were 10-14 down.

Provided they could secure more ball, Richmond looked as if they should secure victory in the second half. But the Titans continued to make it difficult and several times somehow managed to get around and disrupt scrum possession as the No 8 tried to pick up.

Finally, in the 52nd minute, Richmond got the lead. A Taunton overthrow at a lineout ceded possession to scrum half Jones, who promptly set his backs away into rare space. Obonna made good ground before passing to Alex O’Meara on the outside. The full back showed excellent pace to get into the 22. Finally, the ball was switched back across to the left through a number of hands. Spring showed a neat handling touch before skipper Bright got the final pass to claim a well deserved try on his 50th club appearance.

With the conversion again going wide, the lead was just one point, and, within two minutes, Taunton had overturned it. After tapping a penalty, they progressed into the Richmond 22. Substitute prop Brian Ncube then did a neat bit of juggling before managing to pass to winger Deago for a straightforward run in to the posts. Dart again added the conversion and his side were back in front by six points.

Finally, it was time for the forwards to show their strength. When the Titans were pinged for offside,
Richmond drove from the lineout, forcing another Taunton infringement. Immediate progress was halted by the unfortunate referee getting bowled over. But, when the dust was settled, Richmond had a ‘scrum five’ and the barrage continued. Just when it was beginning to get frustrating, Massey proved his fitness and strength, driving over the line for the crucial try. Landray’s conversion made the score 22-21 with about seventeen minutes still to go.

Taunton really did huff and puff, and Richmond were forced back into a long period of defence. At times the Titans looked bound to score but Richmond worked with great heart and concentration to hold them out. Vaughan made his debut, part of a front row which won a vital five metre scrum. A couple of minutes later, Vaughan was the hero of the hour as he effected a jackal deep in the 22.

Despite the heroics, Taunton could not be shifted from the 22. As the clock ticked down, they went through phase after phase as Richmond waited for a clear moment to turn over possession. Bright seemed to have done the perfect job, but referee Neil Sweeney had spotted an illegality and pointed to the posts.

Surely, Richmond were not going to suffer yet another last minute loss. Dart had a kick halfway out. The ball looked certain to hold its line inside the left hand post, but it just seemed to arc inches wide at the last minute.

Maybe Quigs was up there, applying a helpful puff of wind. The final whistle immediately followed.

Tries: Graham, Spring, Bright, Massey
Conversions: Landray

Team: O’Meara, Obonna, Cheeseman, Hitchcock, Graham, Landray, Jones, Spring, Lloyd, Maggs, Monson, Murphy, Massey, Wakeling, Bright

Replacements: Vaughan, Wills, Marsh, Dennett, Kaye