St Austell celebrated their recent promotion in style with 10 tries in a feisty encounter with Stithians at the St Stythian’s Church playing field. Saints started at a frenetic pace giving a breathless display of running rugby that delivered three tries in ten minutes. From the kick off Saints moved the ball through several pairs of hands before falling foul of the narrow pitch just inside the host’s 22m line. Lock Sean Haley majestically stole the ball allowing No 8 Paul “Windy” Winterbottom to complete a tackle bursting run to the line. Scrum half Matt Shepherd converted.

The Saints’ forwards continued to present quick ball enabling the backs to probe and stretch the beleaguered home defence. A scampering run by Shepherd released Centre James Earp for a clear run to the line, the try again converted by Shepherd. Straight from the restart Stithians were on their heels again when winger Alex Welland completed a blistering 40m run before passing to the supporting Windy who powered over for his second try converted by Shepherd. From the next restart it almost looked like Saints were going to repeat that effort only to be pulled back for crossing earlier in the move, Andy Creeden scoring the resulting penalty to leave the score at 21-3 with only ten minutes on the clock. The game moved into an increasingly niggly phase punctuated by a series of penalties as Stithians tried to stifle the Saints running game.

The building malevolent pressure finally blew in the 22nd minute when Welland beat two would be tacklers only to be punched to the ground long after the ball was delivered to his fellow winger Sam Rhodes. As Rhodes passed to scrum-half Shepherd who dived over to score in the corner many of the Saints players were rushing to the aid of their prone teammate. With the Referee following the ball he missed the ensuing mêlée which left players from both sides bloodied. Saints young Prop Josh Durant, who had been a colossus in the scrum in the opening exchanges, was forced to retire with a badly cut eye and was replaced by Jack Hughes. Once order was restored the try was duly awarded but not surprisingly the conversion was missed. The game was now littered with off the ball incidents and Saints were finding it difficult to recapture their earlier fluency and movement. In a bizarre incident on the half hour mark the Stithians centre was given the yellow card for a wild kick on Shepherd. In true “Rooney-esque” style he delivered a torrent of abuse to the Official before turning on the crowd much to the delight of the large travelling contingent of Saints supporters.

Despite being down to 14 men Stithians kept possession through a series of tight well executed rucks and with Saints giving away a succession of penalties it was only a matter of time before one was within kicking range and Creeden was able to double his account. With half time looming Windy ran at the retreating Stithians back line, catching his own kick ahead he entered the 22m wide right tip‑toeing close to the touch line before passing inside to Earp to score his second, converted by Shepherd. The try seem to settle the Saints who went on to score two more in the closing stages of the half, first more clean line out ball from Lock Rob Jeffs allowed Centre Ian Venner to touch down near the posts. Then Windy completed his hat trick and with Shepherd converting the first of the brace it left the half time score 6-45 to Saints.

Saints replaced Windy and Venner with Dave Swiggs and Matt Holliday for the second half but any thoughts Stithians had that this might weaken Saints were immediately dispelled in a blistering start to the half. Swiggs regained procession from the kick off and Saints moved through seven phases of play before Shepherd dived spectacularly over a ruck on the try line before getting up to convert his own try. Stithians now seemed to be content to stop Saints in any way they could and the off the ball incidents continued throughout the half. With 20 minutes gone the influential Haley ripped the ball from the opposition before feeding hooker Ryan Pill whose deft footwork saw him dance through the host’s broken defence. The Salsa lessons are clearly paying off! Shepherd converted. Rhodes was given a yellow card for retaliation but Saints remained resolute and veteran flanker Darren Thompson was able to crown a Man of the Match display with a try, the conversion missed. The troublesome undercurrent was never far away and in yet another off the ball incident Saints Prop Damien Phillips was punched while at the bottom of a ruck. With severe bruising Damo was forced to leave the field reducing Saints to 14 and the introduction of uncontested scrums. The game thankfully finished without further incident and all eyes now turn to next week where Saints will hope to end their promotion season in style with the visit of Hayle to Tregorrick Park on Saturday 16 April, Kick Off 3pm.