Nine points down at the break and with the wind in their faces in the second period things did not look good for the Reds but a great second half performance led by the power of the Redruth pack saw them turn the tables for an excellent victory. After dazzling with their handling in the first half the Students could not live with the Reds ‘8’ in the second 40 as the Reds scrum and maul took over.

With the pitch in perfect condition the Reds got things underway playing towards the Scoreboard with a strong wind aiding their efforts. Early doors the Reds had a couple of lineouts in the visitors 22 but could not secure the ball and the visitors were able to clear via a penalty. The Reds stole a lineout in the Students half and after some good phases Luke Barnes stormed through showing great pace for a prop, he was brought down just short but after a number of pick-an-goes Jamie Prisk was over for a try which Dean Wills converted. 7-0 the Reds after only 5 minutes. The Students soon hit back, playing some great rugby they pulled the Reds left and right with the home side struggling to keep them in check and being guilty of too many high tackles. Eventually Louis Nancekivell (who sounds like he has some Cornish in him) was over for a try bettered by Ben Taylor to level things up. Things were now going from end to end, the Reds would work their way downfield to gain good field position but too many times the lineout was misfiring in the wind. The Students looked dangerous any time they got the ball and would have added to their score but for a couple of knock-ons. A massive Reds scrum on halfway gave notice of things to come in the second period and a superb move resulting in a Jack Simmons break almost led to a try but the Reds were forced into a knock-on by the fierce defence of the visitors. The Reds kept the pressure on and a forced a 5-metre lineout, but the Students stole the ball and launched a length of the field move ending with a try for James Bennett which was converted on 30 minutes. The Reds hit back with a well struck penalty by Wills but the Students had the last word in the first 40. Sustained pressure in the Reds 22 ended with an unconverted try in Piggy Lane corner for Kit Temperley on the stroke of half-time.
Half-time: Redruth 10 – 19 Loughborough Students

The Reds came out for the second period with a clear plan on how to win the game and they delivered. After only 3 minutes a good touch finder from Wills gave them a lineout 10 metres out and the pack drove over for a Tom Cowan-Dickie try, Wills missing the difficult conversion. The Reds were straight back on the attack and after a maul on the 30 metre had made good ground the Reds moved the ball and after a couple of phases a great offload in the tackle by Luke Hattam put Nat Dart through but he was agonisingly held-up over the line. The Students fluffed the goal-line drop out and the Reds were on the attack again and soon added another catch and drive try through Cowan-Dickie, Wills superbly slotting the difficult conversion to put the Reds 22-19 up on 51 minutes. Loughborough now had a period in the Reds 22 but great defence kept them at bay. A Redruth lineout 15 metres from the line was halted short but the Reds went through the phases and eventually put Jack Counter in at the Piggy Lane Corner for try on his debut. Remarkably Wills converted from the touchline despite the difficult wind conditions. Loughborough though were still very dangerous and they pressed the Reds back into their 22 with some great running rugby. This pressure led to Prisk getting a yellow card and this time it was the visitors turn to score from a catch and drive for an unconverted try by Seb Easterby-Gray. The sin-bin period proved to be very productive for the Students as soon after they added a converted try by Nancekivell after a long cut out pass got around the defence. So, in a blink of an eye the Students were back ahead by 2 points with 14 minutes left to play. Despite being down to 14 men the Reds scrum was still dominant and a scrum penalty allowed Wills to find a great touch into the wind into the 22. The move was defended but another penalty to 5 metres allowed the Reds pack to drive over for a try by Jarrod Hambly again superbly converted by Wills, 36-31 to the Reds with 9 minutes left to play. The Students threw everything at the Reds with a series of fast plays, the ball zipping from right to left but the Reds defence held them at bay. The Reds pack saw them home with a number of maul and scrum penalties taking play deep into the visitor’s half. On the last play Oran Murphy was shown a yellow card but this was somewhat academic as the Reds put the ball out of play to end the match.

The Redruth Tribute man-of the match chosen by St.Austell Brewery was Jamie Prisk.
The Redruth will be delighted with this victory against the Students Bucs team and will go into next weeks local derby with confidence.

Redruth
Tries: J Prisk, T Cowan Dickie (2), J Counter, J Hambly.
Conv: D Wills (4)
Pens: D Wills
Yellow Carded: J Prisk

Loughborough Students
Tries: L Nancekivell (2), J Bennett, K Temperley, S Easterby-Gray
Conv: B Taylor (3)
Yellow Carded: O Murphy

Referee: Tom Evans-Jones.
Assistant Referees: Rob Lowe- Andy Bickle.