REDRUTH secured a fifth home win of the season against bottom side Syston on Saturday.

They took the lead on seven minutes as inside-centre Sam James broke through following a scrum on the visitors’ 10-metre line to score under the posts with full-back Dean Wills knocking over the extras.

Just past the first quarter, the Cornishmen had a 21-0 lead as after winger Noah Clifford intercepted on halfway to go in, James barged over for his second from close-range with Wills adding a third kick of the day.

Syston then put on the pressure in the home 22 for much of the rest of the half, however the hosts held firm.

Syston have no problems scoring points despite their league position and pulled a try back via Owen Carroll on 48 minutes, that not long after the Reds lost second-row Luke Hattam to injury. Luke Barnes and Jack Simmons had earlier been forced off for the hosts.

Home winger Jack Counter scored in the left corner soon after to restore the 21-point lead, and any hope of an unlikely comeback went south when Niall Hurley was red-carded.

A further yellow card for Theo Murrell meant the Reds played against 13 towards the end, and they got a fifth try with the last play of the game as Clifford again intercepted near halfway and booted the ball forward for Lewis Thomas to dive over.

The Reds, who remain 10 points above second bottom Loughborough Students, visit Old Redcliffians on Saturday.

REDRUTH: Dean Wills; Noah Clifford, Jack Simmons (Lewis Thomas, 35), Sam James, Jack Counter; Angus Mawson Sam Bray; Luke Barnes (Tyler Gendall, 19), Jarrod Hambly (Tom Cowan-Dickie, 46), Jess Tompsett; Luke Hattam (Dan Goldsmith, 43), Mawgan Osborne; Edd Pascoe (capt), Connor Triggs (Chris Rovery, 46), Jake Bond (Connor Triggs, 66).

Reds’ man-of-the-match: Sam James.