BODMIN ..............................................3
SALTASH ............................................5
BODMIN will have been disappointed not to get the result, and Saltash will consider it a bit too close for comfort. But the real winners at the end of the day were the players of both sides, who did well to get the game started, played and finished on an ankle deep bog of a pitch that made the whole thing no more than a lottery.
Bodmin had first use of the wind and Phil Roberts landed a 25 minute penalty. Saltash looked more the likely of the two to fashion a try, and a period of forward pressure finally ended with Nigel Owen diving over in the corner five minutes in front of the break. Other than that there was precious little to write home about, save that opposing flankers Simon Darborne and Kevin Barney were both sin binned midway through, and Roberts was wide with four penalty shots at the posts.
But how different it might have been if the game had been played at neutral Lux Park, empty for the afternoon and halfway between both camps. And how much longer can Bodmin expect visiting sides to accept the conditions at Clifden Park.
Saltash Reserves................26pts
Liskeard/Looe IIs.....................nil
Visitors Liskeard sportingly filled what would have been an otherwise blank Saturday for Saltash Reserves. But they couldn't match the all round firepower and experience of Saltash who made it three wins from all three meetings between the two so far this season.
Tries from Roger Curtis, "Bungey" Edwards and Paul Berriman with two conversions from Grant Brettell had Saltash nineteen points up by the turn. Liskeard never looked capable of getting on the scoreboard throughout. But with game defending as a runaway score threatened, they did manage to restrict Saltash to a single try from Jack Hawkins with Brettell converting after the break
Helston....................................13 pts
Liskeard/Looe............................26
ON a bitterly cold, but sunny day with a gale blowing across the pitch, Liskeard/Looe continued their recent winning ways at Helston last Saturday.
The opening 15 minutes were somewhat scrappy, but Liskeard/Loe then slipped into another gear. Nathan Gilbert was first to strike, making a break from close to a ruck to run in a try while Marcus Hill converted.
A few minutes later, number eight Mark Goldsmith picked up at the back of the scrum and provided a well timed pass to scrum half Andy Harris, thus creating half a break for Julian Shakerley on the wing who outstripped the opposition for a very stylish try.
Once again Hill was on target with a splendid conversion from wide out on the right. Liskeard/Looe were very much in charge and just before half time following clever handling, Hill burst through to score a try under the posts, which he duly converted.
Twenty one points up at half time and one would have expected Liskeard/Looe to have the game sewn up early in the second half. Helston, however, had other ideas and after a storming opening gained their just reward when Simon Wherry kicked a difficult penalty, followed shortly by a try from Ross Williams which Wherry converted.
Lack of discipline and some sloppy tackling meant that Liskeard/Looe were in danger of letting the game slip away. This sense of impending doom was reinforced when Wherry kicked a second penalty to reduce the gap to eight points.
Helston continued to keep the pressure on but gradually Liskeard/Looe put their game back together and with improved tackling and scrummaging, the game was put beyond all doubt when, with about five minutes to go Nathan Gilbert took a ball and evaded a couple of tackles to run in his second try from some 30 yards.
Not the most attractive game ever played, but, considering the strong wind some neat rugby was played by both sides. Despite not playing particularly well Liskeard/Looe managed to come away with a fairly comfortable win. It would have been made much easier with better discipline which led to Helston being able to kick long penalties to relieve pressure.
Next Saturday (tomorrow) Liskeard/Looe have a friendly at home against St Austell II. This could be a close game and well worth going along to watch.
Cornwall Two
Stithians.................................35 pts
Lankelly-Fowey......................10
LANKELLY are still awaiting their first win of the season but they put up stiff resistance at Stithians. Showing much improved form they gave a good account of themselves with fullback Adam Stokes scoring both their tries - his first for the club and the first for Lankelly in the league campaign.
Tries for the winners were scored by Alan Dennis (2), Mark Cooper, Roger Strick, Mark Rowe and Gregory Floyd who converted one and also kicked a penalty goal.
Under-11s
Ivybridge......................................28
Liskeard/Looe...........................21
WITH only a 3/4 team turn out and some of the boys playing were not 100% fit, Liskeard put on a tremendous show.
Right from the start saw Ivybridge up on the try line, but Liskeard was not going to make it easy for them. For several minutes the ball was passed up and down Ivybridge's line but they just couldn't break through. The first try and conversion went to Ivybridge, then Greg having a good run scored out first try and then converted. Half time saw the teams level.
The second half saw both teams come out fighting but is was Liskeard scoring first by Nathan which Greg converted. The second try this half was by an Ivybridge player lent to us called George Grace who made a great run from the halfway line, this again was converted by Greg. Then just as we thought we were in for a win Ivybridge came back scoring another two tries and conversions.
This was a very good game to watch as both the teams were equally matched. Thanks to the four Ivybridge players who were George Grace, Paul Wyatt, Martin and Scott Shaw.
Liskeard's team: Rohan (Capt), Greg, Andrew, Callum, Brendan, Luke, Michael, Jake, Nathan, Matt. Training Sunday 11:00am at Lux Park, all welcome.
Ivybridge....................................81
Liskeard/Looe...........................5
AS the score suggests Liskeard faced stiff opposition. Having the luxury of a sub did not compare with the choice of subs for Ivybridge. The first half saw six tries and three successful conversions by Ivybridge and Liskeard had no answer. Sibohan Stribley made good ground on occasions but did not have back up and the ball was turned over. Jake Francis fought his way to the try line and rolled off an Ivybridge defender to ground the ball and score Liskeard's only try of the match. At half time the score was 36-5.
Even a stiff half time talk could not help Liskeard's performance. Ivybridge scored a further eight tries and were successful in converting three of them. However, Jan Spierings had a good game making progress with the ball. Daniel Keeling has gained confidence and picked up some loose ball and made ground. It took until the last five minutes for Liskeard to really come alive. Adam Whittington made some good tackles and Daniel Watt and Oliver Nance made good runs but the defence proved too strong.
Daniel Yeatman, Daniel Torrs, Simon Watt and John Burns also showed improvement. Chris Wadge playing his third game made good ground. Man of the Match went to Evan Klopp for his improvement in tackling and understanding of the game.