By Alan Nettle

NATIONAL LEAGUE TWO WEST

Devonport Services 33 Redruth 68

REDRUTH’S rip-roaring start to the season continued on Saturday as they ran in 10 tries to demolish promoted Devonport Services at the Rectory.

The Reds headed to Plymouth looking to build on their 61-10 thrashing of league new boys Bournville, and once again proved too strong.

Redruth were on the scoreboard within three minutes as after a line-out maul on the 22 made ground, Sam James punched a big hole and hooker Tom Cowan-Dickie did the rest. Joe Cummins slotted the first of nine out of 10 successful conversions.

Within four minutes they doubled their lead as from a line-out on the home 10-metre line, scrum-half Sam Bray cut through a gap and ran to the line.

Services responded on 12 minutes via former Red Jake Bond, but the visiting forwards were on top and providing the backs with a constant supply of good ball.

Four minutes later they had a third try as from a scrum on half-way, the Reds backs cut through and skipper Jack Simmons broke away to go over under the posts. After 23 minutes, Shaun Crawford was shown the yellow card for yet another penalty offence, and they were made to pay immediately as the Reds pack shoved them over the line from a five-metre scrum with No.8 Finn Wolstencroft getting the touchdown.

Visiting flanker Mawgan Osborne was held-up over the line, but the Cornishmen soon added another with winger Noah Clifford running strongly for the score, which was followed on half-time by Bray’s second.

Services came out after the break with a plan to avoid set-pieces and to run the ball with every opportunity which produced a thrilling spectacle.

A superb kick return from their own half brought the home side a try on 52 minutes for Henry Gliddon. A team yellow card to Redruth winger Jack Counter soon followed and Gliddon added his second following a flowing move. The conversion struck the post.

Devonport then piled on the pressure and a certain try was prevented when Luke Johnson just failed to catch an interception which resulted in a deserved yellow card and a penalty try as the deficit was down to 14 with 17 minutes remaining.

The Reds were looking to see out the yellow card period in the visitors’ half, but a dodgy line-out gifted the home side the ball in the visitors’ red zone. However, debutant full-back Finn Love intercepted to sprint almost the entire length of the field to the relief of the Redruth support.

The lead was soon extended, two huge scrums in the 22 ended with the second of these going over the line as Rob Baragwanath continued his try-scoring start in a Red shirt.

At 61-26 the game was done and although Services got a fifth try via Finn White in injury-time, Cummins converted his own dot down to round off a fine day for the Reds who host Barnstaple on Saturday (3pm).

REDRUTH: Finn Love; Noah Clifford, Jack Simmons (capt), Sam James, Jack Counter; Joe Cummins, Sam Bray; Rowan Ewels, Tom Cowan-Dickie, Cam Leigh; Luke Hattam, Todd Prisk; Mawgan Osborne, Will Symons, Finn Wolstencroft. Replacements: Max Surry, Tyler Gendall, Kaiden Carne, Rob Baragwanath, Luke Johnson.

Tries: Cowan-Dickie, Bray (2), Simmons, Wolstencroft, Clifford, Baragwanath (2), Love, Cummins; Convs: Cummins (9); Pens: N/A.