Cornwall Under 20s produced a remarkable second half performance in Burnham-on-Sea on Sunday to defeat theirSomerset counterparts and qualify for the South West play-off against Berkshire at Redruth RFC on May 3.

Finding themselves in a spot of bother at 21-0 down inside the first quarter, Cornwall needed a foothold which they got thanks to St Austell prop Riley Raikes who crashed over. Camborne’s Oli Roberts added the extras.

Somerset scored their fourth converted try before good work from Wadebridge Camels’ Archie Beetles put in Oli Mount (Penryn) for Cornwall’s second try, Roberts again on the money with the extras.

Cornwall required the first score after the break, and it was duly delivered by Roberts as he scored the Duchy’s third try, cutting the deficit to just nine points.

It got even better when the influential Raikes dotted down for the second time, again bettered by Roberts, as it gave Cornwall a try scoring bonus point that ensured qualification.

The Cornish boys wanted to qualify through the main gate, not the back door, so they pushed for the win. Two tries, the first from skipper Oscar Marr (Penzance & Newlyn), who chipped ahead and gather his kick to dot down and then from Newquay Hornets winger Bracken Headland, both converted by Roberts putting Cornwall 40-28 ahead.

Into the final ten minutes, Somerset clawed back a converted try which was soon followed by a yellow for Marr.

Cometh the hour cometh the man, when Joel Pryor’s crunching tackle saw the ball turned over and Penryn’s Tom Tanswell put away to score Cornwall’s final try and Roberts to add his sixth conversion.

Cornwall scorers: Tries: Raikes (2), Mount, Roberts, Marr, Headland, Tanswell; Convs: Roberts (6); Pens: N/A.