St Austell recorded their second bonus win of the season with another 8 try haul to go top of the Western Counties League. In a side showing 5 changes from last week’s opener at Ivybridge the Saints got off to an explosive start to settle any nerves in front of a large expectant Tregorrick Park crowd watching their first match at this level for 10 years. It was a commanding performance by the Saints in windy conditions against a Kingsbridge side that finished runners up to Penryn last season. The pack dominated the much vaunted Kings’ forwards while the back line was incisive in attack and rugged in defence.
Taking full advantage of the strong south westerly wind blowing the length of the pitch, Saints hit two tries in the first 4 minutes. The first try was all about clinical forwards efficiency; Kingsbridge misplaced their kick off and from the resulting scrum winger Alex Welland forced a 5m lineout. A catch and drive allowed Paul Winterbottom to score his first try of the season with skipper Andy Ashwin converting. From the restart the lock Adam Pearce provided quick ball which allowed centres James Earp and Ian Venner to tear through the visitor’s defence. With hooker Jack Grigg in support the ball was fed to Welland to finish under the posts giving Ashwin an easy kick for the two points. Saints continued to dominate procession with Kingsbridge, although unable to get the ball out of their own half, providing stout and rugged defence. Venner provided the catalyst to unlock the defensive wall with an incredible surge that had 5 defenders hanging off him! Despite losing his boot he managed to pass to Welland who fed the supporting Grigg to score. The Saints line out provided the next two tries with well worked routines to allow flanker Winterbottom to complete his hat trick. Both conversions were missed and sandwiched between the scores was a yellow card for a Kingsbridge flanker for persistent offside. The half closed with Saints deservedly 29-0 ahead but now having to play into the wind in the second forty.
Kingsbridge started with great determination to gain the early score needed to give them any chance of clawing back the deficit. Keeping the ball amongst their forwards the visitors’ applied some real pressure on Saints for the first time in the match without ever finding the breakthrough. A spilled ball allowed Saints to clear their lines and set up the next try. From a scrum 30m out, scrum half Ashwin orchestrated a blindside move that enabled winger Ben Chenoweth to outstrip the King’s defence to touchdown in the corner with 55 minutes on the clock. Any thoughts of a Kingsbridge comeback were extinguished 9 minutes later when after sustained pressure on the visitors’ line Venner crashed over for a well-deserved try. Saints discipline had been exemplary for most of the match but inexplicably the penalty count started to go against the home side. This provided Kingsbridge with some much needed ball enabling them to score a consolation try in the 74th minute after a rare period of prolonged pressure in the Saints 22. The game finished on a high note for the Cornishmen when quick hands by the ever present Grigg and prop Will Hancock, on as a replacement for Damo Phillips, allowed full back Tom Miles to cruise over to place the ball under the posts.
There was much to admire in today’s performance for the Saints and the coaching staff will be pleased at how the lessons from last week’s match at Ivybridge were clearly learnt. Saints were hungrier than Kingsbridge and adapted to the conditions far better than the Devon team. It is great credit to the players and coaches that the enforced changes due to suspension, injury and unavailability had no impact on the day. There will undoubtedly be tougher days to come but for now Saints can be extremely pleased with how they have started the season.
Match Stats:
St Austell: Phillips (Hancock 64), Grigg, Martin, Haley, Pearce (Pill 55), Jeffs, Winterbottom, Black, Ashwin (Captain), Murley, Chenoweth, Earp, Venner (Crapp 70), Welland, Miles
St Austell: Tries - Winterbottom (2, 20, 33); Welland (4); Grigg (15); Chenoweth (55); Venner (64); Miles (8)
Cons - Ashwin (3)
Kingsbridge: Tries - (74), Cons - 1
Yellow Cards Kingsbridge: (32). St Austell: None
Red Cards None
Referee Jane Pizzi (Cornwall)
Saints Man of the Match: Awarded jointly to Mark "Choppy" Martin and Ian "Sid" Venner