ST AUSTELL 45 MATSON 10

ST AUSTELL maintained their rich vein of form as they clocked up their sixth win in seven league games with a 45-10 success over Matson at Tregorrick Park.

Fresh from a derby day win at Launceston the previous week, Sam Parsons’ side were made to work throughout by the visitors, who took an early when winger Shane Burford won a sprint race to the line for the game’s opening try, which was converted by Findlay Young.

A hamstring injury to Cornwall Under-20s winger Arthur Fletcher added to St Austell’s woes, but onto the field came Colt Evan Richards, who impressed many on his first team debut.

Two tries in five minutes helped the Saints grab the lead. Richards and centre Jamie Stanlake combined to create the space for full-back Archie Bees to split the back line and pop the ball to winger Max Bullen to finish in the corner.

Then, a line-out on halfway provided quick ball for Bees to again tear through the Matson defence and play in the supporting Hector Bright to score under the posts.

Any thoughts this would signal the end of the Matson resistance were soon dispelled when Burford again used his pace to unnerve the home defence causing a forward pass in the in-goal area. Matson won a penalty at the resultant scrum, allowing Young to close the gap to 12-10.

Just before the interval, St Austell added to their tally when Dan Tyrrell whizzed out a pass to hooker Pete Harris who crashed over for a third try.

An error strewn opening to the second period led to a series of scrums, but it was the Cornishmen who extended their lead when Stanlake was on hand to fire a perfect pass off the ground for Bullen to secure his second brace in as many weeks.

Matson had No.8 Tom Porter yellow carded soon after and from the resultant penalty, kicked to the corner, Saints top try scorer Bright quite literally dance his way over for his 12th try of the season.

Although Porter returned to the fold, team-mate Burford was next to head for the naughty step following a tip-tackle.

Again, the Saints used the ensuing lineout to launch an attack out wide, Bees completing his fifth assist in two weeks to put Stanlake in for a well worked try.

St Austell, who head to third-placed Brixham this Saturday, wrapped the contest up when lock Adam Powell’s powerful run set up man of the match Stanlake for his second of the day.