A GUTSY performance saw the Saints come away with a well-deserved victory in Gloucestershire to make it seven unbeaten in the league.

There werre two changes from the St Austell side that had seen off Brixham a week earlier as injured duo Dan Bennett and Ben Saunders were replaced by Camborne prop Archie Rolls and exciting winger Dan Navas.

Lydney have the luxury of a large home support, but it was the visitors who built up some early momentum and with a driving maul inching forward, scrum-half Dan Tyrrell was quick to spot a chink in the Lydney defence and scooted through the gap to go under the posts. Matt Shepherd slotted the routine conversion and then added a penalty to put the Saints 10-0 up in front after 15 minutes.

Lydney used their powerful forwards to wrestle the momentum as the visitors were forced to defend for long periods during the second quarter.

However, the hosts, who looked to blast their way through the red wall, scored an unconverted try out wide right on half-time to make it 10-5.

Lydney were on top after the restart to trap the Saints in the scoreboard corner and used their scrum to great effect with No.8 Pat Hanslow charging over. The conversion from fly-half Rickie Aley was good for a 12-10 lead as the Gloucestershire-based side sensed victory.

Lydney remained welded to their approach of launching hard running ball carriers at the Saints defence, but tackle after tackle ensured there was no way through.

The Saints rode the storm and started to play at a higher tempo, and on the hour mark a flowing move, one of the few in dogged contest, created an overlap only for the final pass to stray forward.

The visitors thought they had scored when teenage prop Riley Raikes burst through a ruck to go over under the posts, however the referee adjudged he had kicked the ball through the breakdown. The respite for Lydney was short-lived as the Saints’ endeavour was eventually rewarded when flanker Hector Bright put the Saints back in front with Shepherd’s conversion making it 17-10 with ten minutes to go.

The visitors saw out a tense finish with the frustrated home support baying for a penalty at every point of contact.

Lydney took play into the Saints’ 22 with a series of pick and drives as they went in search of a vital score. Deep into time added on, Bright timed his intervention to perfection to rip the ball from a Lydney carrier and turnover possession. The home side went off feet at the next breakdown giving Shepherd the simple task of kicking to touch to ensure Saints were victorious for the fifth straight week before Saturday’s home clash with leaders Devonport Services (2.30pm).

ST AUSTELL: Shepherd, Bees, Plummer (co-captain), Stanlake, Navas, Ashwin, Tyrrell; Rolls, Harris, Nicholson; Vian (co-captain), T Daniel; Bright, Taylor, Powell. Replacements: Raikes, Marriott, Jago.

Tries: Tyrrell, Bright; Convs: Shepherd (2); Pens: N/A.

Saints’ man-of-the-match: Dan Tyrrell.