By Paul Hayes
REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST (SATURDAY)
St Austell 41 Chew Valley 27
THE Saints recorded a third straight victory as they eventually overcame Chew Valley at Tregorrick Park.
It was Ladies Day but for all the style and glamour off the field, it was error-strewn opening on the pitch for the home side.
This suited Chew’s powerful pack and the Somerset side scored twice for a 14-0 lead inside the first quarter.
The home side finally found their rhythm and went through the phases with prop Matt Boothby finishing under the posts (7-14).
With half-time approaching a neat exchange of passes with number eight Adam Powell, allowed scrum-half Dan Tyrrell to scythe through (12-14).
But a mix-up allowed Chew to score a third try for a deserved half-time lead (19-12).
There were some stern words from coaches Neil Bayliss and Sam Parsons during the interval and it paid off.
The home side upped the pace and a desperate Chew defence lost number eight Dan Brooker to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, but nothing was going to stop the Saints.
An explosive driving maul from a lineout routine was finished off by flanker Cam Taylor, and even a long-range penalty from the very large boot of the Chew kicker could dampen the Saints comeback.
The home pack were now providing good quality from the set-pieces and in the loose to create wave after wave of attacks.
An arcing run from full-back Archie Bees created the space for winger Jamie Stanlake to finish in the Sports Hall corner to tie things up at 22-22 on the hour mark.
Soon after, a move launched from a lineout allowed centre Ben Plummer to crash through under the posts, giving the Saints the lead for the first time in the match (29-22).
The home side dominance continued, and a lineout catch and drive that started 35 metres out trundled forward to just inside the 22, before the backs were unleashed with winger George Tregilgas finishing in the far corner.
A touchline conversion from Chris Ashwin made it 36-22 with just eight minutes remaining.
As Chew’s frustrations boiled over, and an ugly looking discourse resulted in a yellow card for Tom Daniel, and a second yellow for Brooker.
Thankfully the game will be remembered for the final Saints try, a brilliant solo effort from Taylor.
The flanker superbly jackled the ball on halfway, and then powered through three Chew tacklers for a brilliant score in the corner.
The home side were perhaps guilty of switching off too soon allowing the visitors to snatch a bonus point try with the last move of the game, however nothing should detract from a fabulous second half performance that puts the Saints up to fifth in the table.
The Sinners made it a double with a superb win away at St Just in Counties Two Cornwall.
A first half try from number eight Henry Hutchinson was matched by the home side by the interval.
The Sinners were on top in the second period, and it took stout home defence to limit the visitors to only two further tries.
Fly-half Peter Tuckley converted his own score, slotted a penalty and then added the extras on Hector Bright’s try to seal a 22-5 win on the road.
ST AUSTELL: Archie Bees, Jamie Stanlake, Ben Plummer, Sam Parsons, George Tregilgas, Chris Ashwin, Dan Tyrrell; Peter Rowe, Peter Harris, Matt Boothby, Tom Daniel, Mark Vian, Adam Powell, Cam Taylor, Kyle Marriott. Replacements: Rory Jago, Charlie Nicholson, Arthur Fletcher.
Tries: Boothby, Tyrrell, Taylor (2), Stanlake, Plummer, Tregilgas; Convs: Ashwin (3); Pens: N/A.
St Austell man of the match: Cam Taylor.