Redruth 28 v 21 Old Redciffians

This match gave truth to the old saying that a rugby match is a game of two halves. For the first 35 mins Redruth could do nothing right, except scrummage. Wayward kicks, a dysfunctional line-out and a porous defence gave a rampant Old Redcliffians side a 21 point lead which in all honestly could have been more. Fly-Half Groves was pinging out flat passes and consistently putting his runners over the gain line whilst No.8 Thurston was looking like England's replacement for Billy Vunipola!
Then on 38 mins the Reds put together some phases and grabbed a converted try just before the break. The second period was a completely different affair as it was now the Old Reds making mistakes as Redruth applied pressure with fluent multi-phase moves. 3 converted tries later the Reds left the field to a great ovation from the home faithful.

On a beautiful day Old Reds kicked off playing down the slope with a gentle breeze on their backs. The first 10 mins belonged to the Reds as a couple of scrum penalties (a feature of the match) took play to the Old Reds line but Redruth came away scoreless. Suddenly Old Reds were ahead as Thurston broke the line following a line-out and two passes later scrum-half Butler was under the posts. Some 10 mins later the OR's added another, a wayward kick ahead was run back and a clever chip over the defence was regathered for winger Van-Kergergen to go under the posts to make it 0-14 on 23 mins. It soon got worse for the Reds a line-out in Hellfire Corner was mauled over the line and well converted by Groves from wide out to make it 0-21 on 26 mins. Further Old Reds pressure was well defended b the Reds and then at the end of the half a scrum penalty got play into the Old Reds territory and almost on half-time Jack King went over for a converted try to give the Reds hope in the 2nd period.
Half-Time: Redruth 7-21 Old Redcliffians

Redruth had a 2nd period to remember and were full value for their comeback and on another day may have scored more that the 3 tries they managed. Two scrum penalties gave them a foothold in the OR's half and despite fluffing couple of line-outs in the 22 they were soon on the score-board. A rush defence put pressure on Groves who for once dropped the ball and Charlie Levick was on it in a flash breaking the initial tackle to go under the posts from 40 yards out. A little later the Reds got a driving maul going and substitute hooker Pritchard went over for a try well converted by Nathan Dart to level the scores on 59 mins. Dart was now playing scrum-half due to an injury to scrum-half Jo Tanswell. The Old Reds scrum was in disarray as Redruth piled on the pressure and after the 9th scrum penalty with the Reds going forward from 5 metres out Referee Ben Simpson had no choice but to show a yellow card. From the resulting scum Redruth again drove forward and were awarded a Penalty try on 70 mins. The Old Reds seemed out to it but they had other ideas and as Redruth tried to close out the game a few errors crept back in. The Old Reds finished the game camped on the Redruth line where they were met by a stubborn and well disciplined Redruth defence. A great roar was heard as the Referee's whistle was blown for no side.

Redruth
Tries: Levick, King, Pritchard, Penalty.
Conv: Dart (3)

Old Redcliffians
Tries: Butler (2), Van-Kergergen.
Conv: Groves (3)
Yellow Card: Ryan Randell

Referee: Ben Simpson
Assistant Referees: Rob Lowe & Peter Dixon.

Tribute man-of-the-match chosen by Matchday Sponsor MKM Building Supplies https://mkm.com/ was left wing Charlie Levick.