It was a frustrated St Austell that left Cross-in-Hand, knowing that this was a game they should have won. A hard working first forty minutes saw the Saints 21-17 in front at the break, but unforced errors meant the home side were still well in touch. Two converted tries in as many minutes at the start of the second half allowed Ivybridge to turn the tables in dramatic fashion. A shell-shocked Saints were under pressure and when Ivy crossed again to take a 36-21 lead the hosts seemed in total control of the game. A few positional changes and fresh legs from the bench saw the Saints mount a stirring comeback with two converted tries that took them within a single point of the home side. With time ticking down, Ivybridge managed the final five minutes extremely well to keep the visitors at arms’ length to win the game.

It was 2015 the last time the two sides met and since then Ivybridge have had a new Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) laid. A much-changed Saints side belied the unfamiliar surroundings and personnel to make a fast start that had Ivybridge on the back foot from the first whistle. A scrum on the 22 saw fly-half Chris Ashwin spin out a superb pass to unleash the centres and it was winger Max Bullen that finished in the corner with barely two minutes on the clock (0-7). The visitors continued to apply the early pressure and winger Pete Tuckley was finger tips away from adding a second score. A driving maul just fell short of the whitewash and that elusive second try just did not materialise. A couple of penalty infringements allowed Ivy to lift the siege and they got themselves on the scoreboard with their first incursion into the Saints 22.

A lineout catch and drive had been successfully derailed by the Saints, but prop Henry Trudgill bouldered through some slack tackling to score (7-5). Minutes later scrum half Ben Watts found the same weak spot in the Cornish defence, and centre Sam Brown’s conversion put the home side 12-7 at the end of a first quarter that had been dominated by the Saints. Undeterred the visitors rallied with the forwards taking the game by the scruff of the neck. Number eight Jake Clifford finished off some sterling work by the pack to score his first Saints’ try with Chris Ashwin’s conversion putting the visitors back in front (12-14). The Saints became architects of their own downfall when a mix up in defence made a hash of a routine exit following an Ivybridge clearance kick down field. The home chasers gleefully scooped up the loose ball and quick hands gave centre Sam Brown a free run to the line (17-14). Again the Saints responded well and just before halftime prop Charlie Nicholson dotted down to complete a thunderous catch and drive. Chris Ashwin slotted the difficult conversion with consummate ease to make it 17-21 at the turnround.

Inexplicably the Saints got off to a sluggish start to the second period, in stark contrast Ivybridge were fired up and tore into the visitors. Lacklustre tackling and a sublime kick and chase allowed centre Charlie Briant to score under the posts (24-21). Ivybridge secured the ball straight from the restart and prop Henry Trudgill’s powerful run through the Saints defence proved unstoppable. There were barely two minutes between the two scores and the Saints were now ten points adrift at 31-21. Ivy tails were up, and the home side were threatening to run away with the game, but having initially dug in to resist the charge the Saints coughed up another error to allow number eight Adam Northcott to intercept and score a simple try (36-21).

The visitors responded well in the final quarter and Chris Ashwin showed deceptive strength to force his way over the line after good work by the forwards (36-28). The Saints continued to pound away and when lock Tom Daniel powered through to close the gap to just one point it set nerves among the home crowd jangling (36-35). Unfortunately the Saints just could not regain field position to make one final attempt at gaining a winning score as Ivybridge saw out the final minutes in relative calm to take all five league points.

The Saints have a week off before they welcome Launceston to Tregorrick on Saturday 14th October 2023 for what promises to be an exciting Cornish Derby (Kick-Off 3pm).

Saints Star Man: A sublime performance from Chris Ashwin on his first Saints appearance since a hamstring injury in March. Press-ganged into the first XV due to unavailability the erudite fly half had a flawless display from the kicking tee and showed his full range of passing and running skills. All topped off with a try any rampaging number eight would have been proud of!

Saints
1 Dan Job; 2 Miles Davey; 3 Charlie Nicholson; 4 Mark Vian (Captain); 5 Tom Daniel; 6 River Nowell; 7 Cam Taylor; 8 Jake Clifford; 9 Dan Tyrrell; 10 Chris Ashwin; 11 Peter Tuckley; 12 Ben Plummer; 13 Sam Parsons; 14 Max Bullen; 15 CJ Boyce

Reps (All used):
Matt Boothby; Rhys Daniel; Todd Jago

St Austell:
Tries – Max Bullen (2); Jake Clifford (25); Charlie Nicholson (38); Chris Ashwin (57); Tom Daniel (72);
Cons – Chris Ashwin (3, 26, 39, 58, 73)
Pens –

Yellow card – None

Ivybridge:
Tries – Henry Trudgill (17, 45); Ben Watts (21); Samuel Brown (34); Charlie Briant (43); Adam Northcott (54)
Cons – Samuel Brown (22, 44, 46)
Pens –

Yellow card – None