By Paul Hayes at Tregorrick Park

CORNWALL RFU DUCHY CUP

St Austell Spartans 52 Penryn/Perranporth Seconds 45

ONCE the centre piece of Cornish Rugby, the County Cup competitions have become the poor relations to the RFU leagues. However, news of their demise maybe premature if these two sides have anything to do with it as they served up a quite simply thrilling game at Tregorrick Park.

Full of endeavour and attacking intent, the Spartans and the combined seconds of Penryn and Perranporth scored seven tries each with both converting five of them. It was only an additional penalty try for the home side that divided them with a thrilling contest decided in the last minute of extra time.

The visitors took an early lead but that was soon wrestled back when 18-year-old scrum-half Joe Welch scored his first senior try, converted by Ryan Mace (7-5).

It was case of hero turned villain when a late tackle earned the youngster a yellow card.

Perran took full advantage of the extra man to score three converted tries in short order to take a commanding 26-7 lead by the half-hour mark.

A powerful Spartans scrum earned them a penalty try to keep the home side in the game at the interval (14-26).

Peran got off to a strong start in the second half to stretch their lead to 14-33.

Just like their Hellenic namesakes the Spartans would not accept defeat and set about clawing their way back into the contest. Such is the injury list at St Austell RFC at the moment, players are being pressganged to play out of position, giving us the spectacle of number eight Peter Wheeler playing alongside his younger brother Andrew in the centre.

The Wheeler boys combined with senior’s pass sending junior through in the corner (19-33). Perran grabbed another converted try on the hour mark which seemed to restore an unassailable lead (19-40).

The Spartans kept coming and laid siege in the final ten minutes as they took on the impossible task. Perran were buckling under the pressure and a yellow card for a high tackle only aided the home cause.

Veteran number eight Hugh Noott snuffled out a try to start the comeback (26-40), and when Peter Wheeler went over with three minutes remaining the tension was palpable (33-40).

With time in the red the Wheeler boys combined again for Andrew to score his second of the afternoon. It still needed the extras and fly-half Charlie Reynolds remained cool, calm and collected to slot the conversion (40-40).

Two exhausted teams now faced 30 minutes of extra-time, and it was Perran who struck first (40-45).

The Spartans were proving expert escapologists with Noott thundering over to tie things up again making it 45-45 at the end of the first period.

The contest looked to be heading for a draw which would have put the away side through to the next round. Welch had other ideas and spotted a gap to score in Frosties corner in the final minute.

Reynolds’ touchline conversion sealed the win that puts the Spartans into the next round.

Both sides deserve great credit for a putting on a fantastic game, a contest that will live long in the memory.

Spartans Star Player: Joe Welch –A squad of heroes contributed to a fantastic comeback win but young Joe takes the accoladeasJoe openedthe Spartans’ account and then scored the crucial winning try in the final minute.

Between those two points he delivered a deceptively mature performance, if he continues to develop and work hard to realise his potential, he could be pushing for a Saints debut in the near future.