A draw was probably the fairest result on the day in a hugely entertaining game in Bristol between two committed and talented sides. However the broadest smiles will undoubtedly be in the Hornets RFC Clubhouse in Weston-Super-Mare who with games in hand have the chance to overtake both their rivals to win the title. This match however will live long in the memory with the result in doubt right up to the final whistle. Two contrasting styles made the spectacle all the more enthralling with Cleve looking to gain advantage through their powerful forwards while the Saints endeavoured to play at a higher tempo to unleash their fleet footed backs. The game kept a large crowd, boosted by a large contingent of travelling and exiled Cornish folk, on tenterhooks as the game ebbed and flowed. A frenetic finale saw Cleve become increasingly desperate in defence as the Saints laid siege. The final whistle saw the players from both sides fall to their knees; they had given everything and can be justly proud of their efforts.

The game started cagily with play locked between the two 22 metre lines as both sides warily tested each other out. The Saints were forced into yet another change in an already reshuffled pack when ever present prop Mark Martin was forced from the field with a rib injury after 5 minutes. With defences on top it needed something special to create the gap and it was Saints skipper Matt Shepherd who provided it. Excellent counter rucking by lock Mark Vian delivered the turnover ball and with Cleve expecting the ball to run along the back line it was Shepherd’s clever “show and go” that bamboozled the home defence. The fly half ran 30 unhindered metres to the try line leaving a simple conversion for full back Dan Pearce. Cleve hit back swiftly using their driving maul to great effect to gain territory in the visitors half. A Saints offside on the 22m line provided an easy sight of goal for full back Joe Hall to pull back 3 points. The Saints spurned a wonderful opportunity when a quickly taken free kick was spun wide only for a knock on to stop the attack in full flow with the try line beckoning. That was to prove costly as Cleve then built an excellent passage of play moving through several phases deep into the Saints’ 22m. A blindside move was forced into touch but the Saints’ lineout was deemed not straight and a 5m scrum awarded. A powerful Cleve surge pushed the visitors backwards and referee Ian Hillier wasted no time in awarding a penalty try putting the home side 10-7 in front. The Saints regained the ball from the restart to unleash a high tempo blitzkrieg that forced the home side to concede 4 penalties in under 90 seconds with the visitors opting to run each award. Cleve’s inside centre was shown a yellow card for the persistent offending but it does beg the question why a penalty try is nearly always awarded when a scrum collapses but one is rarely given when players fly in from offside 5m from line. The Saints reward did eventually come when they bravely ran the penalty again shifting it the width of the field for winger Ben Chenoweth to crash in at the corner. With half time looming the Saints were made to pay for an uncharacteristic lapse in concentration to allow Cleve skipper Brad Horman to gallop in under the posts. Hall’s conversion made it 17-12 to Cleve at the break.

The second half opened with an exchange of penalties with first Pearce and then Hall slotting over to move the score along to 20-15. Cleve then enjoyed a period of dominance and it took tenacious defence to repel a series of powerful forward drives by the home pack. With the pressure building on the Saints line the visitors were grateful to their hard working back row. A turnover by flanker Paul Winterbottom allowed the Saints to clear their lines and lift the blockade. The visitors then attacked with vigour and more good work by Shepherd gave centre Callum Wilson a sight of the try line he accepted with glee to level up the scores at 20-20. There was no time to draw breathe as both sides went in search of the winner and Cleve thought they had got it when centre Nathan Huntley finished off the home side’s best move of the day. The Saints now laid siege as the clock ticked down and Cleve looked to hang on. Twice the visitors’ thought they were through only for excellent cover defence by the home side to prevent a score. As the game entered its final minute a flowing move was brought crudely to a halt when the overlapping Dan Pearce was pole-axed off the ball. Cleve’s Joe Hall was shown a red card but to the player’s great credit he was sincere in his apology after the game. To the angst of the Saints’ supporters only a penalty was awarded despite the fact Dan Pearce had a clear run to the line. The Saints’ were rewarded for their enterprise when they again ran the ball and a searing move was finished off by Chenoweth who drove over to make the score 25-25. A still groggy Dan Pearce was unable to convert the kick and the game finished all square.

Cleve proved to be as welcoming and hospitable off the field as they were determined and committed on the pitch. A great game where rugby was the real winner and whoever goes on to win promotion in this nerve jangling race will fully deserve the achievement given the quality of all the protagonists. After 4 away games in 5 weeks the Saints have the luxury of a home game when relegation haunted Clevedon visit Tregorrick. However nothing will be taken for granted because the Saints had what now looks like a very expensive slip up against the Somerset side back in November.

Match Stats:

St Austell: Noott; Davey; Martin; Pearce (A); Vian; Grigg; Winterbottom; Kellow; Shepherd (Captain); Ashwin; Chenoweth; Welland; Wilson; Taylor; Pearce (D)

Replacements: Rowe; Tank; Phillips

St Austell:
Tries – Matt Shepherd (17); Ben Chenoweth (34, 79); Callum Wilson (55)
Cons – Dan Pearce (40)
Pens – Dan Pearce (32)
Drop Goal –

Cleve:
Tries – Penalty Try (32); Brad Horman (39); Joe Hall (68)
Cons – Joe Hall (32, 39)
Pens – Joe Hall (23, 43)
Drop Goal –

Yellow Cards:
St Austell: None
Cleve: Centre (33)

Red Cards:
St Austell: None
Cleve: Joe Hall (79)

Referee: Ian Hillier (Bristol Society)

Saints Man of the Match: Dan Pearce