SALTASH grabbed their first win of the season at the second attempt as they saw off old rivals St Ives at Chapel Field.

It was the first meeting between the two sides in a couple of seasons since the West Cornwall outfit pipped the Ashes to promotion, but with Saltash now also at Step Seven, acquaintances were renewed in front of a sizeable home crowd.

The game was played on the second team ground due to pitch improvements and Moorlands Lane.

The Ashes welcomed back several key players from the previous week's narrow defeat at Newton Abbot, while Fin Jones continued at hooker following a successful first outing in that position. The ever-reliable Ryan Cruickshanks appeared for the 300th time at full-back while Laurie Thomson was playing in his first game for the senior side.

St Ives took an early lead with a penalty after 2 minutes but the Ashes soon hit back when Will Morton touched down on the right wing which was converted by scrum-half Jack Pritchard. Some quick and precise handling by the Saltash backs resulted in Morton going over in the corner after 10 minutes (12-3).

Exchanges were evenly contested until a penalty extended the home advantage.

The St Ives pack were then involved in a move which ended in a try on 20 minutes, but by the break it was 22-8 as Morton grabbed his hat-trick. He collected the ball in his own half, kicked ahead along the touchline and got there first with Pritchard adding the extra two points.

Thomson came on in the second period to make his first team debut for Saltash and made a good start, but a left wing try after 50 minutes by St Ives reduced the score between the sides.

Five minutes later, Simon Nance who was returning from injury, charged over the visitors’ line with again the conversion being successful (29-13).

Yellow cards reduced the Ashes number at times as St Ives began to come back into the match, but during a home assault into the visitors’ 22, Cruickshanks collected a loose ball and went in at the corner for another converted try (63 minutes).

St Ives pressed very hard to snatch a win in the closing stages and were rewarded with a converted try five minutes from the end.

But valiant defence by Saltash meant they held out for a well-deserved victory.

This was a combined team effort to gain a long-awaited win against their old rivals in a very entertaining game which saw St Ives look very dangerous, especially towards the final whistle.

Pritchard kicked four conversions and a penalty, Cruickshanks celebrated his milestone appearance with a solid game with Fin Jones and Tom Hoban contributing and bedding into the pack

Elsewhere around the club over the weekend, the seconds went down 24-19 at Bodmin on Friday night, while the Colts wer edged out 24-14 at St Austell on Saturday.

SALTASH: Ryan Cruickshanks, Will Morton, Andrew Walsh, Steve Williams, Greg Eatwell, Todd Crofts, Jack Pritchard; Simon Nance, Fin Jones, Lial Honey, Tom Hoban, James Sutton, Axel Nicks, Phil Eatwell (capt), Lewis Woolaway. Replacements: Ryan Simmons, Laurie Thomson, Nick Blake.

Tries: Morton (3), Nance, Cruickshanks; Convs: Pritchard (4); Pens: Pritchard.

Ashes’ man-of-the-match: Tom Hoban.