EAST Cornwall’s difficult season continued on Friday, September 12 as they were beaten 23-13 by visiting Penwith at Liskeard Sports Club.

Sam Borthwick kicked off for the home side and promptly lost to Daniel Michael, although the East hit back immediately when James Edmonds and captain Luke Penhaligan took out Mark Harvey and Paris Bailey-Jones.

Their joy was short-lived though when the boys from Penzance went on a five-frame run with Liam Stevens leading the charge taking out Darren Hooper.

His team mates followed his lead when Ashley Thomas, Richard Nicholls, Andrew Cox and Ben O’Brien overcame Marc Pacey, Brian Reed, Gerry Markwell, and Olly Rounsevell.

Mark Stevens took frame nine by beating Matt Gendall, but the visitors led 6-3 after the first set.

Borthwick fared no better at the start of second set when he lost to Stevens, only for his team mates to repeat their first set trick by winning the next two frames against Michael and Harvey.

Again Penwith responded, this time running off six frames on the spin. James Ottaway led from the front beating Hooper, with the rest of his team charging to the winning post in the second set courtesy of wins for, Gendall, Thomas, Nicholls, Cox and O’Brien over Hooper, Pacey, Reed, Markwell, Rounsevell and Stevens.

It meant the home side had a mountain to climb, trailing 13-5.

The third set saw the hosts getting off to a bright start as Borthwick finally got his potting boots on againtBailey-Jones.

But Edmonds couldn’t follow suit and went down to Stevens.

‘Captain courageous’ Penaligon restored his side’s lead by taking out Michael, but it didn’t matter as for the third straight set, they went on another rampage, winning five frames on the spin as Harvey, O’Brien, Ottaway, Thomas and Nicholls proved too strong for Hooper, Pacey, Reed, Markwell and Rounsevell.

Stevens did secure his second victory of the evening against Cox, but the set was lost 6-3 which meant Penwith had won the fixture with a set to spare.

It was left to the hosts to salvage some pride, and they did exactly that, putting up a fierce fight in the fourth.

Borthwick went down to Ottaway before Edmonds levelled for his team by defeating Bailey-Jones.

Back came the visitors taking the next two frames with wins for Stevens and Michael over the previously undefeated Penhaligon and Hooper.

At 2-2 and with the set hanging in the balance, Pacey edged the East ahead by beating Cox.

However, the visitors struck back when O’Brien overcame Reed.

At 4-2 in the final set, it looked as if a whitewash of sets was likely as well, however the East Cornwall team summoned some battling qualities to take the final three frames and with it the fourth set.

Markwell, Rounsevell, Stevens proved too good for Gendall, Thomas and Nicholls.

However, with an overall score of 23-13, Penwith were worthy winners on the night.