THE Saints were made to work hard by Chew Valley in an entertaining finale to the league campaign, eventually running out 33-17 winners at Tregorrick Park.

Chew arrived determined to build some momentum ahead of their looming relegation play-off battle and got off to the best possible start. With a strong wind at their backs, they reclaimed the kick-off and a rampaging run from the back row was finished in style by flanker Jake Rogers to put them ahead with barely a minute on the clock (0-5).

The home side eventually gained some measure of control using their powerful driving maul to spearhead a dent into the Chew defence. Scrum-half Dan Tyrrell spotted the gap on the blindside to score in the corner. Ben Saunders defied the wind with a superb touchline conversion to put the home side in front after 10 minutes (7-5).

The Saints were guilty of overplaying in their own 22 allowing the first up defenders to isolate Ben Plummer and secure a penalty for holding-on. Chew were rewarded for their endeavours to retake the lead with a converted try (7-12) and then proceeded to put the home side under intense pressure.

St Austell have the lowest points against total in the division, and their defensive prowess was once again called to the fore. The outstanding Cam Taylor ripped the ball and the Saints’ flanker then went on a powerful run to take play deep into Chew territory. With the visitors’ defence in disarray, the Cornishmen were able to secure a line-out to launch another powerful driving maul. After 15 metres of unstoppable progress, 42-year-old prop Hugh Noott touched down to the delight of the home crowd.

The home side were on top for the last ten minutes, but it looked like their efforts would go unrewarded until Archie Bees glided into view. The full-back scythed through the Chew defence before offloading to winger Max Bullen to extend the home lead to 19-12 at half-time.

The Saints started the second period in the same way they finished the first to put the visitors back under the cosh. Tyrrell finished off some good work by the forwards to touch down his own grubber kick in the Gym corner. Saunders again made light of a difficult touchline kick to stretch the score to 26-12.

Chew showed great resilience to deny the home side any further score to keep themselves in the hunt, and a powerful surge saw them score their third try (26-17).

That setback galvanised the Saints to up the tempo to stretch the visitors to the edges before Tyrrell cut in from the wing to confirm his hat-trick under the posts. Saunders slotted his easiest kick of the afternoon to make the final score 33-17.

The win was the Saints’ 14th of the campaign, two more than last season which underlines the progress made in their third year at Level Five.

It is an incredible achievement against the backdrop of the attritional nature of Regional One rugby and a long injury list, and they can now enjoy their summer before it all begins again in September.

ST AUSTELL: Bees; Plummer (co-captain), Saunders, Stanlake, Bullen; Ashwin, Tyrrell; Noott, Harris, Raikes; T Daniel, Vian (co-captain); Bright, Taylor, Powell. Replacements: Pearce, Marriott, Shepherd.

Tries: Tyrell (3), Noott, Bullen; Convs: Saunders (4); Pens: N/A.

Saints’ man-of-the-match: Cam Taylor.