A PATCHED-up Liskeard-Looe side showed heart and no shortage of club pride as they battled to a four-try bonus point in a 39-24 defeat away to Falmouth in Counties Two Cornwall.

Although defeated on the day, the mere fact the visitors were able to field a full compliment of players was down to the late inclusion of a former player.

When the team sheet was circulated on Thursday, the Lions were down to just 14 available players. And with the odds stacked against them for the trip, pride kicked in. James Rogers, who had not pulled on a shirt for two years, answered the call to make up the numbers and travelled with the squad.

However, he could only watch on initially as Falmouth crossed for an unconverted try shortly after kick-off to lead 5-0.

The visitors, though, responded impressively. After working their way deep into the home 22 with a sustained spell of pressure, Rogers marked his return in style, finishing in the corner on 10 minutes. Fly-half Mike McCarthy added an excellent conversion to edge the Lions ahead.

Buoyed by that score, Liskeard-Looe struck again. Centre Andy Rowe – more accustomed to the back row – forced his way over for an unconverted try to put the visitors 12-5 up. It was a bright opening from a side forced into a raft of positional reshuffles.

Falmouth, however, soon found their rhythm. A slick passing move ended with an unconverted try to level matters at 12-12 on 20 minutes.

The momentum began to swing. A penalty from just inside the Lions’ 22 nudged the hosts back in front at 15-12 before a sweeping move from a left-hand line-out saw them touch down wide on the right.

On the stroke of half-time, Falmouth delivered a significant blow. After earning a scrum deep in Liskeard territory, their scrum-half darted down the blindside to score a converted try, securing the bonus point and stretching the lead to 27-12 at the interval.

It had been a bruising first half for the Lions, not least because several players were operating out of position. Oscar Mortimer slotted in at lock rather than the front row, Will Cameron shifted to full-back from centre, and Mitch Aram packed down at flanker instead of lock. The disruption showed against a settled home side.

Falmouth added a fifth try early in the second half, the conversion drifting wide as the lead grew to 32-12. Yet Liskeard refused to fold.

On the hour mark, a well-constructed attack brought reward. After phases of controlled possession, No.8 Adam Dack powered through from 22 metres, shrugging off defenders to score, McCarthy converted to close the gap to 32-19.

The home side responded with another blindside snipe from a scrum in the 70th minute, the conversion making it 39-19 and seemingly putting the result beyond doubt.

However, the final word belonged to the Lions. A determined late surge carried them deep into Falmouth territory and scrum-half Callum Beaver produced a long pass to pick out Dack, who crossed for his second and a deserved four-try bonus point.

Lock Dan Lethbridge was named Liskeard’s man of the match for a tireless display in the engine room.

Attention now turns to Saturday’s home clash with second-placed Helston, a 2.30pm kick-off that also doubles as the club’s annual sponsors’ day.