ST AUSTELL head coach Sam Parsons feels his side can ‘compete with anyone in the league’ ahead of tomorrow’s home clash with Brixham in Regional One South West (2.30pm).

The Saints are unbeaten in five following a slow start to the season, a run of form which has seen them climb up to seventh, eight points clear of second bottom Marlborough.

The Cornishmen built on their last-gasp victory at Royal Wootton Bassett on November 22 by thrashing basement side Matson 41-19 away from home last Saturday, and host a Brixham side that were expected to be challenging for the title having finished as runners-up to Barnstaple last term.

But while the Fishermen have had their moments, they head to the Duchy in fourth, 10 adrift of leaders Topsham who have been handed a home walkover by bottom side Matson this weekend.

What is of more importance to Brixham is what goes on at Marlborough as the Wiltshire strugglers host a Devonport Services side that sit seven ahead.

But while Brixham are a good side, the way the Saints are going at the moment, they will fancy their chances.

With the likes of Matt Shepherd and Kyle Marriott now back to fitness, Parsons has plenty of options at his disposal, although they have suffered a blow with exciting teenager Rory O’Kane being recalled by Camborne for their trip to Cinderford in National League Two (West).

He is replaced by Chris Ashwin who comes in at full-back with Plymouth Albion loanee Ben Saunders moving back to his favoured fly-half position.

Looking back on last weekend’s trip to Gloucester, Parsons said: “I thought Saturday was as good as we have looked all season. We are building nicely and that first half was very good. We dominated in nearly every aspect and apart from a five-minute spell leading to their first try, we were almost perfect in our execution.

“At half-time we spoke about the things that were going well, but I reassured them that we had a long way to go. We needed to keep our foot on the throttle and that at some point Matson would have a spell and it’s how we managed the momentum shift. But we did that really well. We went down to 14 men when Cam Taylor got a yellow, but we have the privilege of being able to bring Kyle Marriott on at those crucial periods and he restored some control until we were back to our full complement.

“All in all it was a very mature well-rounded performance at a place that is very tough to go and win.”

The head coach also had praise for lock Tom Daniel and centres Jamie Stanlake and Ben Plummer.

He continued: “Tom Daniel was our man-of-the-match. He was very busy for the full 80 and put in a very workmanlike performance, while Jamie and Ben were standouts in defence in the wider channels and gave Matson no real room to breath.”

Saints now start a brutal run of fixtures against sides in the top half, beginning with Brixham, not that the former Cornish Pirates centre is too worried.

He continued: “It’s always pleasing to win any game at this level. We don’t just want to settle for that though and we are now on a run of form that suggests we have enough to compete with anyone in the league.

|As for Brixham it’s one I look forward to. They play a fast, tempo game and we have had some very entertaining games with them in the last few seasons.

“It’s a chance for us to see just how far we have come over the last month or so and I know the boys can’t wait.”

ST AUSTELL v Brixham: Chris Ashwin, Archie Bees, Ben Plummer (co-captain), Jamie Stanlake, Matt Shepherd, Ben Saunders, Dan Tyrrell; Dan Bennett, Peter Harris, Charlie Nicholson; Mark Vian, Tom Daniel; Hector Bright, Cam Taylor, Adam Powell. Replacements: Riley Raikes, Kyle Marriott, Dan Navas.

Other fixtures: Launceston v Exmouth, Marlborough v Devonport Services, Royal Wootton Bassett v Chew Valley, Sidmouth v Lydney.