Leaving the rain behind in Cornwall, it soon caught up with both the warm up and first half played in wet conditions at the Coronation Field ground. Tiverton kicked off and soon regained the ball from with some strong rucking, there then was a period of play outside of the Saints 22 where defence was good and Tivvi were driven back.

With the home side holding the balance of possession it was after only a few minutes that referee Andy Nicolas (DRRS) awarded the first penalty of the match to Tivvi for the Saints tackler not rolling away, missed by home number 10 Callum Stone. The fly half soon made amends however when the same offence in front of the posts was converted for the home side to lead 3-0 after 10 minutes. A surge up field after Tivvi had fielded a Saints kick ahead and with a penalty advantage being played, centre Ben Prouse scored the first try for the home side in the corner, a good conversion followed and Saints were 10 nil down. The game was over 20 minutes old when the first penalty was awarded to the visitors, much to the joy of the travelling support, the home side seeming to understand the referee’s interpretation of the breakdown far better than the visitors. With replacement Tony Knight (Andy Inch, ankle) on play then revolved around the middle third of the pitch, with both sides giving up nothing in commitment. Flanker Max Duggan made a big carry into the home 22, brushing off would be tacklers but eventually the ball was given up or dropped, which was a pattern of the half. With 5 mins to go in the half, a break in the centre by Tivvi led to another score in the same corner, unconverted for the half to be played out with the score at 15-0.

The half time talk by Saints head coach Ashley Morcom must have done the trick as after only 5 minutes of the re-start Saints were only a point behind with 2 converted tries, 15-14.
Saints had come out the blocks a full speed, recovering the kick off and pushing for the line with the forwards putting in some hard drives, spinning the ball wide Shane Johns touched down in virtually the same spot as the Tivvi scores of the first half, an excellent strike by Cav Boyer added the extras. Boyer added the second try when he collected a Liam Freeman kick ahead to break a tackle and outpace the defence to score under the posts. The home crowd were silenced and they realised they had a game on.

Live wire flanker Max Duggan received the first yellow card of the game for dissent towards the referee, gesturing in frustration after he was not awarded the spoils for a turnover having both hands on the ball and on his feet. The Saints were now down to 14 for 10 minutes but weathered the period well, with debutant full back CJ Boyce solid under the high ball returning some with interest and James Martin, at centre, making some strong runs. With Duggan about to come back on the home side forwards had series of pushes towards the Saints line to touch down for another unconverted try, 20-14.

Replacement Pete Rowe came on for Mark Martin in the front row and with scrummaging honours being fairly even, Saints prop Hugh Noott flattened the Tivvi winger just as he kicked the ball ahead. Adjudged to be maybe both high and late the referee showed him the yellow and Saints were down to 14 again. In his defence Noott claimed he'd got to the tackle as 'soon as he could'! With the front row replacement on the next 10 mins of the game was played out with un-contested scrums.

The home side extended their lead when the numerical advantage let their winger free to scoot in from 22m. Saints not done though and after a 40m break downfield by James Martin forward Max Duggan ended the drive to the line to come up with last try of the game, the conversion gave Saints their first point (bonus) of the season yet the bonus point win to the Tiverton side (4 tries) to make the final result Tiverton 25 - St Austell 19.

For the young side travelling to Tiverton and with some players still to return to the squad, this was a gutsy performance and the heads never dropped. Plenty of possession given away from the line out and spilled in loose play, penalty count was another problem especially in the first half, however, a little more clinical and disciplined and the win could have been there for the visitors.

Saints- CJ Boyce, Cavan Boyer, James Martin, Shane Johns, Curtis Newberry, Liam Freeman, Dan Jane (DJ), Hugh Noott, Adam Barbery, Mark Martin (Pete Rowe), Josh Phillips, Adam Pearce, Max Duggan, Miles Davy (C), Andy Inch (Tony Knight), Andy Ashwin.
Yellow cards- St A, Duggan and Noott.
Tiverton, Josh Down.
Red cards- none.

Saints home to Burnham on Sea next Sat, KO 3pm.

Tich Preston
St A RFC