Camborne continue impressive form on their travels at Dings Crusaders

CAMBORNE head coach Tom Kessell hailed their victory at Dings Crusaders as ‘another really good day’ as they maintained their 100% away record in National One with an impressive nine-try win in Bristol.

Playing at pace on the home side’s 3G surface, the Cherry and Whites were on the scoreboard early as Josh Matavesi crashed over for Fraser Honey to convert.

Although the hosts promptly levelled, the visitors were soon back in front after winning a scrum penalty that presented the field position from where impressive No.8 Herbie Stupple crossed for 12-7.

A yellow card on 18 minutes reduced the hosts to 14 men and ‘Town’ duly capitalised, bagging their bonus-point with two tries in quick succession. First centre Matavesi charged over to complete his brace after an unstoppable burs, before brother Sam went in off the back of a line-out ‘catch and drive’ for fly-half Honey to add the extras for a 17-point advantage.

Restored to their full complement, Dings cut the arrears with an unconverted score, but a 35th minute show and go touchdown from livewire scrum-half Dan Roderick, improved by Honey, gave the visitors a commanding 31-12 interval lead.

Soon after the resumption, a trademark Stupple charge broke the cover to take play deep into home territory from where young full-back Oli Roberts, with plenty to do, bagged a blindside corner try.

Almost immediately Camborne went out of sight at 43-12 when giant lock George Smith’s delightful offload sent Jago Sheppard romping over for a try converted by Honey.

The hosts responded with a couple of good scores, but unfortunately were thereafter unable to field a front-row following injuries, with the resulting uncontested scrums taking the sting out of the final quarter.

‘Town’ brought up their half century on 62 minutes when replacement back-rower Barnaby Elderkin powered through the home defence to set up flanker Sheppard for his second touchdown that was again improved by Honey.

A fifth Dings try duly cut the arrears to 50-31 before skipper Sam Matavesi steered over an unstoppable close-range maul for the final visiting dot down as Honey slotted the extras.

With time almost up the home side bagged a late long-range consolation, but Camborne were not to be denied a fifth consecutive away victory to the delight of Kessell.

He said: “It’s great to still be unbeaten on the road which is pretty impressive after being promoted last year. Our last trip to Dings three years ago when they got promoted wasn’t great, but the boys did a really good job, particularly in the first half where we were really clinical.

“We let them get back into it a bit in the second half where they started to play a bit more which caused us a few more headaches, but we did more than enough to win.”

He continued: “There were some standout performances including from Josh Matavesi who really put us on the front foot, and the forwards did really well, dominating around the park, so all in all it was another really good day at a very hard place to play.”

Camborne are back at the Recreation Ground on Saturday when they welcome Bishop’s Stortford (2pm).

CAMBORNE: Oli Roberts; Frankie Nowell, Joel Matavesi, Josh Matavesi, Alex Ducker; Fraser Honey, Dan Roderick; Tommy-Lee Southworth, Sam Matavesi (capt), Ben Woodmansey; George Smith, Adam Hughes; Jago Sheppard, Jordan Nicholls, Herbie Stupple. Replacements: Jack Andrew, Jon Drew, Barnaby Elderkin, CJ Boyce, Ben Power.

Tries: Josh Matavesi (2), Stupple, S Matavesi (2), Sheppard 2, Stupple, Roderick, Roberts; Convs: Honey (6); Pens: N/A.

Cherry and Whites’ man-of-the-match: Herbie Stupple.