Bishop's Stortford First XV 53 Redruth 8

This was a huge day for the Club, with the First Team and their backups in the Twos having organised a massive charity (Ladies’) day to run in parallel with the normal home League match day routine. Both aspects went extremely well and, with most of the squad still left at the Club when your reporter departed sometime after 9 pm, it would be hard to argue to the contrary! It is certain that the breast cancer care charity benefitted hugely from the day and those of us, who watched the match were not disappointed either.

It has to be said upfront that Redruth left behind in Cornwall a few frontline players, but the team that did travel showed tremendous fight - particularly in the early stages of the game. This was rewarded after 10 minutes of largely defensive work with a penalty to visiting flyhalf, Brett Rule, when Stortford were penalised at a breakdown. It took the home side another 20 minutes to register their first score, when flanker Steve Ball rounded off a move involving multiple phases to score an unconverted try. The home team remained aggressive and opted to run two kickable penalties without further troubling the scorers. Ironically, Stortford’s next score came from a Redruth scrum, where combative scrumhalf, Arran Mahoney took a sharp interception between Nos 8 and 9 to scurry over for a try after 35 minutes, which skipper, Tom Coleman easily converted. The next score came after only 4 minutes, when Ball registered his second try at the back of a great driving maul from a 5 metre lineout, following a good break by fullback, Jimmy Rea. Coleman’s conversion took the lead out to 19-3. The important bonus point try came just before halftime, when No 8, Mark McCraith forced his way over the line through three tacklers, after another driving maul had been stopped just short of the line and Sam Winter’s first thrust at the line had been held up. Coleman’s conversion took the halftime score to 26-3.

Stortford started the second half in textbook fashion and, after winning their own dropout, quick hands in the backs created space for winger, Rea to dash over for try number five. Redruth refused to back down, though and an excellent driving maul from a 5 metre scrum after a number of soft penalties conceded by Stortford brought substitute forward, Craig Williams a well-deserved try after 9 minutes of the second period. This took the score to 31-8. Four minutes later and Coleman opted for the first time to take 3 points from a penalty – this time from right in front of the posts, after the visitors were penalised for holding on, following a great chase by Rea of a long Coleman kick. Stortford were now well on top, despite continued dogged defence from Redruth but the next score came only after a yellow card for Redruth substitute, Matt Gidlow after 25 minutes of the half for a second successive penalty in the red zone. Five minutes later, McCraith scored his second try off the back of a strong 5 metre scrum and Coleman’s conversion took his side out to a 41-8 lead. Centre, Nick Hankin’s determined efforts throughout the game were finally rewarded with a try after 34 minutes, when he wriggled through a narrow gap in midfield to sprint over from 40 metres out. Coleman’s conversion attempt went narrowly wide, but he had no problem in adding the extras a few minutes later, when Jono Child touched down under the posts, after Ball created acres of space for his winger with a searing break from the base of a ruck in the last move of the match.