Devonport Services 13 St Austell 13 - Saints Pay the Penalty!

Saints will know they have only themselves to blame as a collective loss of composure let Services off the hook. Camped on the hosts’ 22m line and with the electronic scoreboard showing time was up, Saints were successfully running the clock down through a series of forward drives. Suddenly the ball squirmed out of Saints hands and Services broke up field. Tackled on the 10m line Saints seemed to have prevented any real damage only to be penalised at the ruck. Quick thinking by the Services scrum half caught the Saints defence on the hop and although the run was stopped on the halfway it was at the expense of another penalty. Another attempt to tap and run was impeded by Saints who conceded a third penalty for not retiring the full 10m. The self-destruct button was then pressed as the ball was thrown away to prevent a third quick penalty leaving the Referee Marc Simon with no choice but to advance the mark a further 10m, crucially within kicking range. Up stepped Matt Anstis to fire over the equalising penalty immediately followed by the final whistle to the delight of the home crowd. With Services celebrating as if they had won and Saints players collapsing to their knees in defeat it was hard to remember the game was drawn.

It had been a tight game with two well organised defences nullifying the majority of attacking moves. Saints had the better of the opening exchanges pegging the home side back into their own 22m. Attempts to run the ball wide were stifled by the tough tackling Services centres so it took a change in tactics by Saints scrum half Andy Ashwin to get the breakthrough. The skipper’s clever box kick turned the Services defensive line with winger Alex Welland gathering the ball to score in the corner despite the attentions of the opposition full back. Tom Miles just failed with the conversion attempt. Services now came into the game and pressure on the Saints led to a penalty for holding on. Anstis’ kick set up a line out deep in the Saints’ 22m and a clinical catch and drive allowed flanker Joe Page to crash over. Anstis converted from virtually on the touch line to put the services in front with 15 minutes gone. Saints had a let off minutes later when a quick tap penalty, following an infringement at a ruck, gave Services an overlap but winger David Hall knocked on with the line beckoning. Saints regained the ascendency but could not find a way through the Services defence which overstepped the mark on more than one occasion. A spear tackle on Welland led to an angry reaction from the Cornishmen who felt it was dangerous. With order restored Referee Marc Simon, who had an excellent day with the whistle, reversed the decision deeming the Saints to have overstepped the mark in their response to the incident. In the end the Saints only had a single penalty by Miles to show for all their efforts to go in at half time ahead by the slenderest of margins at 8-7.

Saints started the second half well and the Ashwin Welland partnership struck again with the winger touching down in the corner following his skipper’s superb kick. Miles again was just unable to add the extra two points. Despite dominating territory and possession for long periods Saints were unable to find a way through the dogged Services defence. On the hour lock Adam Pearce, who had been a colossus for Saints, was forced to leave the field with a rib injury. Young hooker Harvey Morcom came on and a reshuffle of the pack saw Jack Grigg slot into the back row with Rob Jeffs moving up into engine room. The momentum went from the Saints’ game and Services were now able to build some attacks of their own. Saints were starting to give away penalties and on 68 minutes Grigg was yellow carded for offside and Anstis slotted over the penalty to bring Services within touching distance. The 14 Saints battled hard and looked to have done enough for victory with the game in its dying embers. That was until a simple mistake was compounded by panic and a lack of discipline to allow Anstis to fire over and tie the game at 13-13 with the last kick of an absorbing 80 minutes.

Saints will reflect on what might have been after two difficult away games but a sense of perspective is required. Sitting fourth in the table after four games, Saints have shown they are match for any side in the West Counties with the ball in hand and continue to outscore their opponents in terms of tries. The pack has performed well in set pieces and the back line has been both resolute in defence and inventive in attack. Curbing over exuberance around the ruck and exhibiting more patience when without the ball will reduce the penalty count and allow Saints to see out tight games. Saints now look forward to a home Cornish Derby against St Ives.

Match Stats:

St Austell: Noott, Grigg, Martin, Haley, Pearce (Morcom 61), Jeffs, Thompson, Swiggs, Ashwin (Captain), Murley, Chenoweth, Winterbottom, Venner, Welland, Miles – Replacements Crapp, Durant (Unused)

Devonport Services: Tries – Page(13)
Cons – Anstis
Pens – Anstis (67, 80)

St Austell: Tries - Welland (9, 48)
Cons –
Pens - Miles (37)

Yellow Cards Devonport Services: None St Austell: Grigg (68)

Red Cards None

Referee Marc Simon (Devon)

Saints Man of the Match: Alex Welland