The long trip to Cheshire ended in disappointment for the Reds as they went down to a home side who took their chances better on the artificial surface. The Reds will look to a number of opportunities that perhaps should have been finished off that would have made this a much closer game. The visitors though never stopped playing rugby and were rewarded with the consolation of a bonus point try a few minutes from the end.

The game couldn’t have started any better for the Reds. They reclaimed their own kick-off and a few phases later Sam James sliced through the home defence and Jack Simmons was on hand to take the scoring pass, Dean Wills slotting the conversion. Chester soon hit back from a scrum in the Reds 22 they spread the ball wide and winger Louis Beer was over in the corner for an unconverted try. The Reds nearly hit straight back themselves, taking a high ball at pace in his own half Ethan Morgan beat defender after defender and was only brought down 5 metres from the line, but a penalty for holding on at the next phase allowed Chester to clear. After a period of midfield action, the Reds cleared from their own 22, Chester ran the ball back and took play to the Red 5-metre where Edd Pascoe infringed and received a yellow card for his troubles. Chester tapped the penalty and after a few charges were over for a Dave Jones try converted by Sam Rogers. This put the city side 12-7 ahead on 20 minutes. Chester extended their lead 3 minutes later when a pass over the top found winger Beer who held off the defenders to offload infield to Morgan Bagshaw who scored the unconverted try. A frenetic period of rugby with possession switching back and forward ended with a Redruth high tackle that gave the city side a line out on the 22. They never let the Reds escape and from a scrum about 10 metres out they moved the ball to the right and Tommy Ellis went over for a try converted by Rogers. The Reds had a chance to cut the deficit when Wills found a great touch in the corner. Unfortunately, the ball was knocked-on in the maul and the chance was lost. The half ended without any further scoring opportunities for either side.
Halftime: Chester 24 – 7 Redruth

The Reds would feel coming out for the second 40 that the game was still up for grabs with the difference between the two sides being mainly due to the scores in the yellow card period. Chester though were to go further ahead soon after the restart. A lineout maul got close to the line and a few pick-an-goes later Jarrod Williams touched down for a converted try. The Reds desperately needed to score next. A superb run by Jack Counter got the Reds in the 22 where they won a penalty. The ball went to the corner and another penalty followed, and then by another in the danger zone, but no yellow card. This time the maul could not be stopped and Jarrod Hambly got the try which Wills converted. 31-14 on 50 minutes. Any thoughts of a Reds comeback were soon scotched when from a 5-metre lineout Chester squeezed over in the corner for an unconverted try by Williams to put the home side 22 points clear on 55 minutes. Back came the Reds, a driving maul made 10 metres and the backs seemed to have done the rest but the ball was adjudged to have been held up. The Reds continued to have the better of things and from a lineout on the Chester 22 the ball was spun out and James powered his way under the posts after knocking over a number of would-be tacklers. 36-21 after 69 minutes. A few minutes from the end of the game Chester added a penalty to extend their lead. The Reds were playing for a bonus point try now and Jess Tompsett finished off a 5-metre maul for a try Wills converted with time almost up. There was still time left for Tompsett to receive a team yellow card for a technical offence in what seemed like the worst case of mistaken identity seen on a rugby field! The match ended without any further scoring.

Next Saturday the Reds will look to get back to winning ways as they take on Hinckley at the Recreation ground.

Chester
Tries: Beer, Jones, Bagshaw, Ellis, Williams (2).
Conv: Rogers (3).
Pen: Bagshaw.

Redruth
Tries: Simmons, Hambly, James, Darby.
Conv: Wills (4).
Yellow Card: Pascoe, Tompsett.

Referee: Tom Hurdley.
Assistant Referees: Liam Reilly & Adrian Holmes.