ST AUSTELL have named an unchanged starting XV for tomorrow’s trip to Marlborough in Regional One South West (2.30pm).

The Saints make the long trip to Wiltshire having recorded a second win of the season last Saturday with a last-gasp 22-20 success over Cornish rivals Launceston, a result head coach Sam Parsons felt was ‘deserved’.

He said: “I thought we deserved the win overall.

“We had the lion’s share of possession and also dominated field position with our kick game.

“We had a slow start but once we settled I felt we gained control of the game. Launceston don’t ever go away and credit to them as despite living off scraps, they gave themselves a huge opportunity to win the game.”

Launceston led 13-11 at the break despite a try from home winger Max Bullen, but the influential Hector Bright’s try within five minutes of the restart seemed to inspire the Saints, even if they did need a last-kick penalty from joint man-of-the-match Ben Saunders.

Parsons said: “We started the second half exactly how we would of wanted. It really swung momentum firmly in our favour and allowed us to play the conditions rather than have to chance points when the rain and wind came in.”

Saunders, a USA Under 20 international, has shown glimpses of his undoubted talent so far at Tregorrick Park, and kept his cool.

Parsons continued: “Ben really stood up on Saturday. He has been working his way to a performance like that and I was so pleased for him to get that moment to kick the winning points.

“It capped a great game for Ben, especially defensively where he made some superb dominant one-on-one shots.”

Although still bottom, that victory lifted St Austell to within five points of Launceston in seventh, meaning just five points separate the bottom half in the 12-team division.

Also in St Austell’s favour is they have already played the current top four and can now really attack the pre-Christmas fixtures.

Parsons said: “I think it’s always important to go into every game with a winning attitude.

“Points are hard to get at this level and we know from last season as we were one of them, teams can go on a tear at any point and pick up five or six wins on the bounce and everything changes.”

A trip to Marlborough is always a test.

Not only is the longest journey of the season, the Saints will leave Cornwall at 8am for a 2.30pm kick-off, not helped by closures on the M4.

Marlborough, who are in their second season at Step Five, started with four straight defeats, but have seen off Sidmouth and Royal Wootton Bassett in their last two games, the latter a superb 49-37 derby success at RWB.

Their squad contains several players from the South Sea Islands, which means an open game which should suit both sides, a fact not lost on Parsons.

He said: “We have a great opportunity to get back-to-back wins this week.

“Marlborough are a side that offer a lot of threats in the wide channels, but if we can nullify them early It’s definitely a game we are looking to win.

“That’s our focus right now one game at a time.”

There is one alteration to the squad as player/coach Matt Shepherd is still not quite right having made his first appearance off the bench last week, and is replaced by exciting winger Dan Navas who scored a hat-trick for the Sinners in their victory over Launceston Castles last Friday night.

ST AUSTELL at Marlborough: Archie Bees; Arthur Fletcher, Ben Plummer, Jamie Stanlake, Max Bullen, Ben Saunders, Dan Tyrrell; Dan Bennett, Peter Harris, Charlie Nicholson; Mark Vian (co-captain), Tom Daniel; Hector Bright, Cam Taylor, Adam Powell. Replacements: Matt Boothby, Peter Fletcher, Dan Navas.