By Paul Hayes at Tregorrick Park

REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST

St Austell 19 Royal Wootton Bassett 27

THE Saints’ hopes of a top five finish took a blow as they fell to a deserved first home defeat since October.

With Cam Taylor back in the side since picking up a knee injury in October and Archie Bees and Matthew Boothby restored to the bench after recovery from knocks, the Saints were able to field their strongest selection in several months.

The Saints started well to dominate possession in the opening exchanges with RWB forced into patient defence.

A loose pass on six minutes was seized upon and fly hacked deep into home territory where centre Charles Brook won the race to score under the posts giving Rhys Floyd his easiest kick of the afternoon (0-7).

The home side almost hit back immediately with Dan Tyrrell scorching in at the corner, but the pass to him was adjudged forward.

On 25 minutes the visitors extended their lead with a long-range Floyd penalty (0-10) and it needed a last-ditch covering tackle from lock Tom Daniel to prevent another RWB foray from crossing the whitewash.

The Saints were dominating the set-piece and with advantage being played following a collapsed scrum, the home forwards went through the phases before prop Pete Rowe crashed over (7-10).

But with the whistle approaching, the Saints were turned over on the 22 near the touchline and within a flash lock Josh McCafferty had the freedom of Tregorrick to run in for a try which was added to by Floyd (7-17).

The Saints put RWB under pressure straight from the restart and their reward was a first try for teenage prop Ben Woodmansey following a powerful catch and drive (12-17).

The home comeback was derailed when skipper Mark Vian received a yellow card.

RWB were quick to take advantage and Floyd’s long-range penalty made it 20-12 with 50 minutes on the clock.

Despite being down to 14 the Saints went through 20 phases, twice running penalties against an increasingly fraught RWB. With the visitors already on a warning, hooker Pete Harris tapped a third penalty on the five-metre line, enabling flanker Rory Jago to stretch a long arm to score. Matt Shepherd’s conversion took the Saints to within a point (19-20).

Back to a full complement, the home crowd were sensing a victory, but stoic defence kept the Cornishmen at bay.

Then a rare RWB incursion into the home 22 was finished off by winger Michael Clifton in the corner.

Floyd’s touchline conversion meant that the gap was now eight points with six minutes to go.

St Austell thought they should have had a penalty try when a catch and drive was illegally halted, moments after they went for the corner instead of a kickable penalty for a bonus point, only for a penalty to be awarded.

Despite being a player down, RWB cleverly played the scrum to earn a penalty of their own which allowed them to see the game out.

St Austell are back in action on March 1 when they visit bottom side Ivybridge (3pm).

ST AUSTELL: Matt Shepherd, Pete Tuckley, Ben Plummer, Sam Parsons, Dan Tyrrell, Chris Ashwin, Will Tanswell; Peter Rowe, Peter Harris, Ben Woomansey, Tom Daniel, Mark Vian, Rory Jago, Cam Taylor, Adam Powell. Replacements: Matt Boothby, Kaydan Michael, Archie Bees.