The score line suggests an easy passage for the Saints but that was far from the case with the Ashes deservedly ahead at the break. Never has the half time hair dryer been so effectively deployed because the Saints were staring down the barrel of a cup shock. The impact was immediate and six second half tries ensured that the home side were on their way to the Final at Redruth RFC on Monday 5th May.

A bumper Tregorrick crowd on a beautiful mild Cornish spring evening were royally entertained by two sides willing to run the ball at every opportunity. A fired up Saltash won a penalty at the kick off and fly half Kieran Down put the visitors ahead before the clock had reached a minute. The Ashes came into the game on the back of two big league wins so it was no surprise that they oozed confidence. The Saints received a let off when a try saving tackle from full back Dan Pearce dislodged the ball from Ashes’ number 8 Stephen Hillman as he crossed the try line. As the early charge slowed skipper Matt Shepherd slotted a penalty to tie the scores. When Dan Pearce hit the line at speed the home crowd roared as his perfectly timed pass put winger Darren Pellow in at the corner (8-3). The Ashes struck back retaining the ball well with a series of probing drives before the outstanding Down chipped a flat-footed defence to touch down. The youngster’s assured conversion put the Ashes in front and on the half hour mark he added a penalty to make it 8-13. Perhaps knowing the welcome waiting for them in the changing room the Saints made it a barnstorming finish to the half but had to settle for just a Shepherd penalty to cut the deficit to 11-13.

To the relief of the many nervous faces in the stands it was a different looking Saints that started the second half. A penalty in the first minute allowed Shepherd to edge the home side in front before a tackle bursting run by centre Sam Rhodes delivered a crucial converted try (21-13). Saltash gamely responded to the increased tempo and another Down penalty kept them in touch. Good link up play by the Saints back row allowed flanker Ian Venner to force his way over (26-16). Shepherd added another penalty and when a line out was stolen close to the Ashes line there was no stopping flanker Paul Winterbottom (36-16). The Saints were now on top but the Ashes commitment never dropped but there was nothing they could do when prop Hugh Noott was driven over (41-16). The try of the day came when debutant Konnor Ewudzi showed why he is in the SW England Sevens squad when he linked superbly with Shepherd to allow the Saints’ skipper to scorch in at that the corner (46-16). With the final whistle approaching centre Alex Welland went in under the posts to round off an excellent second half display for the home side.

The final score of 53-16 was a little hard on Ashes who showed in the first half that they have a bright future ahead of them. Many in the crowd mused that there were real comparisons to where the Saints were in their development 3-4 years ago. The Saints on the other hand were delighted that their higher league experience came to the fore in the second period to set up the Club’s third ever Cup Final appearance to make a fitting end to the Club’s Golden Anniversary season. The focus now switches back to the league when North Petherton are the visitors who will bring the curtain down on an excellent first year back in SW1 for the Saints (KO 3pm Tregorrick).

Match Stats:
St Austell:
D Pearce, Pellow, Rhodes, Welland, Chenoweth, Ashiwn, Shepherd (capt), Noott, Jack Grigg, Pill, A Pearce, Vian, Davey, Venner, Kellow. Replacements: Ewudzi, Phillips, T Murley, Martin, Winterbottom, Jeremy Grigg.

Saltash:
Cruickshanks, Moriarty, Hancock, Wells, Allen, Down, P Eatwell, Nance, Rayner, Coutts, Sullivan, Rixon, Felton, Webb, Hillman. Replacements: Brady, Merritt, Nicks, Carpenter, Neville.
Referee: B Perry (Somerset RRS).

St Austell:
Tries – Darren Pellow (19); Sam Rhodes (45); Ian Venner (52); Paul Winterbottom (60); Hugh Noott (68); Matt Shepherd (70); Alex Welland (79)
Cons – Matt Shepherd (45; 60; 79)
Pens – Matt Shepherd (12; 35; 41; 57)
Drop Goal –

Saltash:
Tries – Kieran Down (24)
Cons – Kieran Down (24)
Pens – Kieran Down (1; 33; 48)
Drop Goal –

Yellow Cards:
St Austell: None
Saltash: None

Red Cards:
St Austell: None
Saltash: None

Saints Man of the Match: Sam Rhodes