Despite scoring seven tries Saints were far from their best lacking the fluidity and continuity of previous performances. Saints were missing three of this season’s top performers in lock Adam Pearce, flanker Paul Winterbottom and centre Ian Venner through injury following last week’s bruising encounter with St Ives. So it was perhaps no surprise that it took time for the side to settle into the game.

Tiverton started the stronger in an error strewn opening 10 minutes, dominating territory and possession. Saints had to be thankful to the speed and strength of winger Alex Welland who twice ushered threatening attacks into touch. Saints first try was against the run of play starting from a scrum inside the visitors’ half after 14 minutes. Skipper and fly half Andy Ashwin released winger Ben Chenoweth who left the Tiverton defensive line in his jet stream as he slalomed past despairing tackles. Hitting the hosts’ 22m line he fed young full back Sam Tank, making his Western Counties debut, who timed his supporting run superbly to touch down. The conversion was missed. Tiverton struck back soon after when fly half Jimmy Atkins hit a penalty following Saints’ hands in a ruck. With both sides making lots of handling errors the game continued its stop start feel. Saints were now dominating the set pieces but it was a turnover on Tiverton ball that generated the next score. Flanker Sean Haren put huge pressure on a home side attack forcing a wild pass intercepted by Welland on the visitors’ 22m. Tiverton had over committed to the attack and the quick thinking winger kicked ahead deep into the spaces left in home territory. Gathering the ball Welland won the race to the line to put Saints 10-3 up after 24 minutes. Conversion was missed. Tiverton hit back enjoying a period of prolonged pressure but were unable to find a way through resolute defending. Saints were twice penalised for hands in the ruck and Tiverton had to settle for two penalties from Atkins to close up the score at 10-9. The half finished on a high for Saints when a quickly taken tap penalty from Ashwin caught Tiverton napping allowing flanker Rob Jeffs to crash over the line making it 15-9 at the break.

With Director of Rugby Steve Murley’s half time words ringing in their ears Saints started the second 40 minutes at a blistering pace. Tiverton put the kick off straight out and from the resulting scrum Ashwin’s astute kick to touch put the line out deep in home territory. With 2nd row Sean Haley reigning supreme at the front of the line out Tivvy opted to throw long. Haren stole the ball and fed centre James Earp who crashed over but was unable to get the ball down. Saints drove the 5m scrum over the line giving scrum half Matthew Shepherd the easiest of tries and conversion kick. Earp was not to be denied though and following intense pressure on the Tiverton line, Shepherd fed the ball out to allow the centre to skip over the line. Conversion missed. From the restart prop Hugh Noott caught the ball and drove deep into Tivvy territory ably supported by the ever present Haren. Quick presentation by Noott allowed the ball to spread wide for Earp to scythe through the defence to score. The conversion was missed but after a breath-taking 12 minutes of the second half Saints had scored three tries to go 32-9 in front. To Tiverton’s credit they never gave up and frustrated the Saints for long periods with neither side really threatening to score again. It took until the last minute for Saints to add to their score when Man of the Match Sean Haren pounced on a loose ball to charge 15m into the opposition’s half. Linking well with Centre Tom Miles, on for Treve Murley, the ball was spun out to the supporting Tank who swallow dived under the posts. Shepherd landed the conversion to make the final score 39-9.

Saints won comfortably without ever really hitting the heights of recent weeks save for the 15 minutes spell just after half time. The coaching team will be extremely pleased with the way the forwards performed and the way the back line adapted with the many changes in personnel and position. Saints will go into next week’s blockbuster with Torquay Athletic in confident mood.

Match Stats:

St Austell: Noott, Hughes (Grigg 62), Martin (Durant 50), Black, Haley, Jeffs, Haren, Evans, Shepherd, Ashwin (Captain), Chenoweth, Earp, Murley (Miles 74), Welland, Tank

St Austell: Tries – Tank (14, 79); Welland (24); Jeffs (38); Earp (50, 52)
Cons – Shepherd (2)
Pens -

Tiverton: Tries –
Cons –
Pens – Atkins (3)

Yellow Cards: St Austell: None Tiverton: None
Red Cards St Austell: None Tiverton: None

Referee: Nigel Boyd (Devon)

Saints Man of the Match: Sean Haren