Camborne just edged out the home side in a tight encounter at the Recreation Ground. The game was only made safe for the visitors when Navy hooker Ben Priddey crossed for a try in the last few minutes of the match. If you were to ask any of the large crowd who attended to give their memories of the match the first comment would be ‘it rained’. To say ‘it rained’ though would be a gross understatement, from around minute 5 the heavens opened and torrential rain swept the ground throughout. Rumours, of an enterprising local building an Ark on Carn Brea turned out to be false but it wouldn’t have been a bad idea. Hellfire Corner was for the day renamed Gazebo Corner as the host club did all it could to keep the spectators protected. The players of both sides should be congratulated for putting on such an entertaining encounter in the circumstances and this should be extended to the officials who must have been questioning their life choices as the rain fell and their bodies froze.

Camborne won the toss and opted to play towards Hellfire (Gazebo) Corner and into the stiff breeze. The Reds started well with a lineout in the visitors 22 but the throw went wide in the wind. Camborne soon came close, a clever lineout move 30 metres out saw CJ Boyce break clear but a poor pass allowed the Reds to tackle the supporting player into touch. A superb 50:22 now gave the Reds a lineout 15 metres from the visitor’s line, the maul went down 5 metres out, multiple pick-an-goes ended with a Camborne penalty to clear. A spiral bomb put up by Angus Mawson was knocked-on in the 22 for a Reds scrum, the Reds attacked and a high tackle to the head earned Jordan Nicholls a Yellow card. Ethan Morgan slotted the penalty to put the Reds ahead on 16 minutes. Redruth now received a yellow card of their own, Chris Rovery was waiting to catch the kick-off when the Camborne player leapt like a salmon and crashed into his stationary figure. Rovery was adjudged to have taken him out in the air and saw Yellow. Camborne went to the corner and although the maul was stopped a few pick-an-goes later they were over for a try by AJ Hussell converted by Kyle Moyle, 7-3 to visitors on 20 minutes. Almost immediately the Reds had a kickable penalty near the posts but opted to go to the corner. The Reds got to within inches but another penalty led to one more 5 metre lineout. The maul was moving forward but a Camborne hand did well to dislodge the ball and the chance went begging. The Reds continued to have the better of things for the remainder of the half with most of the play being in the Camborne half but they could not sustain any significant pressure on the visitor’s line.
Half-time: Redruth 3 – 7 Camborne

The 2nd period was only 2 minutes old when Town went further ahead, a penalty for a high tackle was punished when Moyle added a penalty. Play was now mainly in the Reds half and another Moyle penalty extended Camborne’s lead to 10 points on 47 minutes. The Reds now got on the front foot and forced a penalty in the Camborne half which they put to 5 metres. The maul was stopped but the Reds piled on the pressure and eventually Rovery crashed over for a try converted by Morgan to make it a 3-point game on 53 minutes. A long clearance by Camborne was knocked on by the Reds to give Town a scrum 15 metres out, and a few phases later Moyle was on hand to put over another penalty and extend Towns lead to 6 on 62 minutes. A lineout malfunction by the Reds gifted Camborne a scrum in the Reds half. After many phases around the Reds 22 they opted to chip over the top, the kick was charged down, fell to Sam James who few Jack Counter who raced down field, evaded the cover tackler to go over near Piggy Lane corner. The conversion went wide and so Town held a 1-point lead on 65 minutes. It was now Camborne’s turn to take advantage of a charge down, this time in the home 22. Town went through many phases near the Reds line and eventually crossed for a try by Jago Sheppard converted by Moyle to extend the visitors lead to 8 points on 70 minutes. The Reds weren’t finished though and a clever kick ahead by Morgan forced Camborne to concede a lineout 10 metres out, the Reds went thought the phases and only a slight knock-on, on the floor, prevented a try. The lead was cut though to 5 points by a Morgan penalty. Any thoughts the Reds could win the match though were soon dashed, showing great ball retention Town went through the phases in the Reds half making gradual progress. After a number of pick-an-goes Priddey was over for an unconverted try to extend the visitors lead to 10 points with only 2 minutes remaining. Despite the result now being decided the Reds finished on the front foot. They earnt a penalty just outside the 22 and opted for the corner. The Reds piled on the pressure but Camborne did well to hold out and see out time.
All things considering the Reds will have been pleased with their performance if not the result. Town showed why they are top of the table as they rarely left the home 22 without adding to their total whereas the Reds who had equal if not greater opportunities could not say the same. If this is the last of these league derbies for a while then it will have been a memorable one, both for the closeness of the contest and of course the RAIN.

Tribute Redruth man-of-the-match chosen by Jewsons was Sam Stevens.

Redruth
Tries: Rovery, Counter.
Conv: Morgan.
Pens: Morgan (2).
Yellow Card: Rovery.

Camborne
Tries: Hussell, Shepard, Priddey.
Conv: Moyle (2).
Pen: Moyle (3).
Yellow Card: Nicholls.

Referee: Tom Evans-Jones.
Assistant Referees: Rob Lowe & Will Williams.