| Match Report |
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Saltash - 17 vs. St Austell - 38
(Oct 3, League) Ashes came off second best this weekend with a hard fought league match against a clinical St Austell side who are so far unbeaten this season. With predominantly dry conditions the match produced some end to end running rugby with both sides not afraid to throw the ball around. St Austell opened their account early on with a sweeping move from their backs to put Meshak Esien in the corner and with the conversion missed the score was 5-0. Ashes immediately responded in the eighth minute when a deft chip kick from Stuart Heale over the Saints back line, allowed Ashes centre Mike Turner, to win the foot race to the line and dive on the ball. Ashes discipline was much improved from previous games but were punished for a lack of concentration at the ruck to allow Andy Ashwin to slot three points and bring the score line to 8-5. Against the run of play five minutes later a clearance kick in Ashes own half from Joe Skinnard deep into the Saints corner, allowed Keiran Hurrell to gather the ball and step inside his marker to go over for Ashes second try. Ashes were punished once more three minutes later when the captain Adam Kellow powered his way through the Saltash defence to go over just right of the posts, and with the straight forward conversion, the score line ticked over to 15-10. Further points were added soon after when once more Ashes were penalised on the twenty-two metre line for infringing at the ruck allowing Andy Ashwin to add a further three points. With both sides exchanging blows the score line remained the same into half time, 18-10. With the wind and the slope with Saints in the second half, they made it count adding three more points, to an increasing score line. Six minutes later Tate Richardson finished off a well taken try in the corner, capitalising on an overlap down the short side to push the score to 26-10. Saints then added five additional points in the 62 minute when Andy Ashwin added his name once more to the score sheet. Ashes in one last push took a quick penalty ten metres short of the Saints line, and spun the ball along the three quarters for Will Morton to go round his man and dive over in the corner. With the conversion taken out wide, Mawgan Toms added the two points. It was Saints though that had the last laugh when Andy Ashwin pounced on a loose ball on the edge of a ruck and dove over the line. He then added the extra two points to complete a frustrating afternoon for Ashes with the final Score 38-17 to St Austell. |