A SECOND outing for the new look Taunton Titans at Hyde Park against a visiting University of Wales Institute Cardiff was always going to be a close affair between two relatively evenly matched teams.

And so it proved with the visitors eventually holding on to a 13pts-7 victory in an entertaining friendly.

Competing in the Welsh First Division and a feeder club for Cardiff Blues the visitors arrived at Hyde Park on the back of a 75pts-5 victory over Oxford Harleqiins in their previous outing.

Taunton were again slow to start with the visitors coming like greyhounds from the traps from the first whistle.

Taunton’s stuttering start put them on the back foot as UWIC dominated the opening g exchanges. It was not long before Taunton were behind on the scoreboard.

Following a period of sustained pressure close to their lines the visitors deservidly claimed a fifth minute converted try. Continuing to struggle to put the phases together Taunton handed the iniatiative to UWIC and conceded a number of penalties in the danger zone allowing UWIC to extend their lead with two first half penalties giving the visitors a 13pts-nil lead at half time.

Taunton made a number of changes at the break but fumbled from the kick off again allowing the Welshmen to be knocking on the Taunton door.

Clearly responding to the half time talk the Titans defence held firm with strong resolute tackles holding the visitors at bay.

Taunton increasingly settled into the game and began to restore parity in key areas of the breakdown and ruck-face. Given the platform to work from the Somerset team began to cause their guests problems of their own forcing UWIC to defend for long periods.

Eventually young prop George Cooper battled over to score the touchdown for Taunton. Freddie Gabbitass added the extras with a sublime conversion from the touchline.

Taunton pushed forward for another score and forced the visitors to concede a series of penalties that could have won the game for Taunton.

But kickable penalty chances were turned down by the Titans as they chose to work the phases. As the game approached its end Taunton looked to have snatched the winning opportunity but a last ditch tap tackle saw Sonny Haines grounded just short of the line.