Saints edge nine try thriller!

The visit of first placed Chew Valley to the home of second placed Saints had many forecasting a tight cagey tactical battle, but those predictions were soon ripped up as both sides went all out for the bonus point win. In a roller coaster contest that saw the lead change hands seven times it was the home side that held its nerve in a breathless finale. The Saints started well but at 14-12 ahead they were perhaps a little frustrated not to have put more clear blue water between them and Chew on the scoreboard by the end of the first quarter. With the Cornishmen losing two forwards to injury the visitors finished the half strongly, but good home defence restricted them to a single score making it 14-17 at the interval. The ding-dong battle continued with the Saints taking an early lead in the second period before Chew enjoyed a period of dominance, threatening to take the game away from the home side. The Saints stayed in the contest and were able to lay siege in the Chew 22 in the final quarter. It was fly half Chris Ashwin that landed the decisive try in a breathless finish to a fantastic game.

With six changes to the side that beat Wadebridge Camels in the midweek Cup semi-final, the Saints got off to a purposeful start eventually pinning Chew down on their try line. The visitors managed to rebuff seven close quarter drives with a well organised and determined defensive set. However, as more and more defenders were being pulled into the rucks, scrum half CJ Boyce picked the perfect moment to let the backs attack the gaps. Quick hands got the ball wide for winger Fraser Nottle to finish in the corner, Matt Shepherd added the extras (7-0). Chew hit back with a lineout catch and drive that gave hooker Jack Monk an armchair ride to the try line, converted by Dan Gratton (7-7). Saints then had a period of territorial dominance but were having to be patient in possession in the face of some robust Chew defence. The patience eventually paid off when the visitors were penalised for kicking the ball through a ruck, allowing the Saints to set-up an attacking lineout just outside the twenty-two. Adam Kellow, making his 300th appearance for the Saints, took a brilliant ball off the top to launch number eight Kyle Marriott away on the charge. The Saints Raging Bull off-loaded to centre Ben Plummer who timed his burst into the line to perfection, he still had work to do as he side-stepped the first defender before powering over for an excellent try (14-7). Two consecutive penalties gave the visitors excellent field position, desperate home defence thwarted a try, but a knock-on presented Chew with a 5m scrum. The Saints managed to hold the shove, but livewire scrum-half Ben Mead dummied his way over (14-12). The home side lost flanker Andy Inch to a head injury, causing a reshuffle of the pack with hooker Miles Davey dropping into the back row, replacement Brandon Haque taking his captain’s place in the front three. Chew were now enjoying a good spell and it was no surprise when powerful full back Miles Moorhouse finished off an excellent handling move by the visitors’ backline to put them in front for the first time in the game (14-17). The men in green sniffed blood and went all out in the last ten minutes of the half to land a killer blow but the Saints held firm to reach the interval without conceding again.

Reinvigorated by the half time oranges, the Saints put the visitors under pressure with strong carries from Kyle Marriott, Adam Kellow and Tony Knight. With Chew coming in from the side, Matt Shepherd was able to set up a line out just outside the 5m line. A majestic take from the Gorran Lighthouse Mark Vian launched a thunderous catch and drive with young Brandon Haque finishing in style for his first Saints try (21-17). The pendulum swung again and a brilliant break by Ben Mead was halted about 15m from the try line by a high tackle. Enjoying an edge in the set-piece, Chew opted for a scrum using the platform to launch centre Joe Cowell who finished in style to restore the visitors lead (21-22). The Saints looked to bounce back in the face of the visitors’ growing momentum so in a rare display of conventional thinking, they opted to kick the points when the Chew defenders drifted offside (24-22). The pressure from the visitors continued and on the hour mark a powerful scrum surge allowed flanker Thomas Waddington to touchdown (24-27). At this stage most onlookers would have thought Chew would see out the game. Any fears that tiredness from the midweek Cup heroics might prevent a fightback ignored the indominable spirit coursing through the Saints. The home side took the game by the proverbial horns to dominate the final quarter, even managing to nullify Chew’s big pack forcing them to cough up two scrum penalties. With an increasingly fraught rearguard action the visitors gave away a string of penalties, allowing Mark Vian to serve up a raft of good ball from the lineout. The visitors’ defence held firm repelling a series of driving mauls as the home side went in search of a bonus point try. A dangerous tackle by replacement Ryan Parfitt saw him returned to the bench for 10 minutes as the Saints pressure continued to mount. Fraser Nottle was almost in at the corner but the pass to him was agonisingly too far ahead of his outstretched hands and the ball went to ground. The Saints just could not find a way to breech Chew’s outstanding defence and just as it looked like the visitors had weathered the storm the home side struck. A second shove from the Saints pack on what should been a routine put in to a Chew scrum, forced an awkward low pass to the scrum-half who fumbled letting the ball go loose. In a flash Saints fly-half Chris Ashwin scooped up the ball and the jet-heeled physician left the Chew defence in the waiting room to sprint 30m to grab the bonus point score. Matt Shepherd made it five kicks from five to ensure Chew would need a try if they were to win with just five minutes remaining (31-27). The Saints were forcing Chew to run from deep, but with the clock entering the final minute a final roll of the dice saw them enter the Saints 22. Prop Charlie Nicholson was caught on the wrong side giving Referee Fergus Connolly no choice but to consign him to the side-lines. Chew decided to back their scrum one more time as they sought to exploit the man advantage out wide. Miles Davy returned to the front row with Al Welland called in off his wing to pack down on the flank. The Saints scrum held firm denying Chew the go forward momentum they desired forcing them to launch the attack from a static position. It still took a brilliant tackle from Ben Plummer to slow the Chew backs in midfield with a follow up from Fraser Nottle dislodging the ball to bring the final whistle.

A brilliant game between two evenly matched teams who were determined to attack at every opportunity as they chased the bonus point. The race for the South West One West title and the three promotion spots remains wide open with four clubs still in the mix and just two league Saturdays left. For the Saints, their density continues to be in their own hands provided they can secure bonus point wins in their last two games. However Crediton is never an easy place to go but if the Saints do secure the win next Saturday then it sets up a humdinger against Devonport Services on 23rd April 2022 for the final game of the season.

Saints Star Man: Adam Kellow – Led the team out on his 300th appearance for the Saints and then delivered a typically powerful performance in the back row. Carried the ball well, tackled, grappled, and grafted throughout the 80 minutes and provided a sublime pass off the top of the lineout to set up the Saints second try. Kells made his debut as a teenager during a difficult period for St Austell RFC and he has been an integral part in rebuilding the Club back up the leagues.

1 Dan Job; 2 Miles Davey; 3 Charlie Nicholson; 4 Mark Vian; 5 Tony Knight; 6 Adam Kellow; 7 Andy Inch; 8 Kyle Marriott; 9 CJ Boyce; 10 Chris Ashwin (Capt.); 11 Alex Welland; 12 Ben Plummer 13 Matt Shepherd; 14 Fraser Nottle; 15 Cavan Boyer
Reps (All used):
Dan Tyrrell; Brandon Haque; Hugh Noott

St Austell:
Tries – Fraser Nottle (5); Ben Plummer (18); Brandon Haque (46); Chris Ashwin (75)
Cons – Matt Shepherd (5; 18; 46; 75)
Pens – Matt Shepherd (56)
Drop Goal –

Chew Valley :
Tries – Jack Monk (13); Ben Mead (23); Miles Moorhouse (31); Joe Cowell (51); Thomas Waddington (59)
Cons – Dan Gatton (13)
Pens –
Drop Goal –

Yellow Cards:
St Austell: Charlie Nicholson (79)
Chew Valley : Ryan Parfitt (69)

Red Cards:
St Austell: None
Chew Valley : None

Referee: Fergus Connolly (CRRS)