Not one for the purists

Possibly not one for the purists but the Saints secured a gritty, determined away win. Newly promoted Totnes provided a scare to visiting St Austell, having not lost at home for over a season.

Totnes came off the starting blocks on fire with two tries and one conversion in the first fifteen minutes. Both tries came from clever switching in the centres dragging the St Austell defence to one side then punching through the gap. At 12-0 down the Saints started to put the pressure back on Totnes and centre James Earp burst through Totnes lines after receiving clean ball from a good line out on the home 22, Andy Ashwin provided the conversion.

Both teams then were locked in a stalemate for what seemed like an age the game faltering due to some interesting decisions from the referee. It was Totnes who broke it and scored another converted try this one from the forwards. Ashwin reduced the deficit with a penalty and at half time the score stood at 19-10.

St Austell started brightly taking the game straight to the hosts. Early missed penalty chances and a sin bin should have changed the game to the home sides advantage but Saints captain Adam Kellow had other ideas, cleverly using a penalty advantage to score a sublime drop goal from about 30 metres out. A further penalty for Ashwin reduced the home lead to just 3 points, followed by a sin bin for Totnes.

With just seven minutes left clever thinking from wing Sam Rhodes kept the ball alive forcing play toward the home team 22, great forward work by Will Hancock, Mark Ashton and man of Match Darren Thompson took play on to the try-line forcing a penalty, the brave decision to run the ball rather than kick to draw the game was rewarded by wing Sam Tank who screamed along the tramlines side stepping the tackles to score the winner.

Totnes
Tries- Browse, R Smith, Orchard. Cons Hooper
St Austell
Tries- Earp, Tank Con Ashwin, Pens Ashwin (2) Drop Goals Kellow.

Report by Phill Raddenbury.