ST AUSTELL’S play-off dreams are over as Brixham set up a clash with Topsham to have a chance of next season’s National League Two West.

The Saints, who were without a host of front-rowers and influential No.8 Kyle Marriott, headed to South Devon knowing they had to win with conditions perfect for both sides’ free-flowing styles.

It was the visitors who struck first on seven minutes with a sweeping counter-attack from inside their own 22 as an injection of pace from winger Archie Bees and a perfectly-timed pass inside to Ben Saunders allowed the full-back to hit the afterburners on halfway to blaze a trail to the posts to the delight of the travelling Saints supporters. Matt Shepherd slotted the straightforward conversion.

Brixham hit back as full-back Joel Ashworth spotted space in behind the visitors’ backline and kicked high and deep. His diligent chase was rewarded with a kind bounce and a sidestep later he was touching down in the corner (5-7).

A mistimed tackle at the restart ceded easy territory to Brixham who soon saw Connor Doneathy going over in the corner (10-7).

Brixham were using the wind to pin the Saints back, and they soon exploited Saints’ hesitation under a high ball with centre William Kingsley reacting first to the bounce to crash over. Fly-half Mitch Pinkus made no mistake for 17-7.

The Saints dug deep to pull the home side from one side to the other, and a barnstorming charge from Hector Bright saw the flanker crash over the try line. However, the referee was unsighted and felt unable to give it, but instead awarded a penalty for offside with the visitors perplexed at why it wasn’t a penalty try.

The visitors then saw Saints No.8 Adam Powell given a yellow card following an accidental clash of heads.

Despite starting the second period with 14, it was the Saints that made the early running. A catch and drive provided the momentum for hooker Pete Harris to force his way over, converted by Shepherd (17-14).

Prop Scott Pearce and Shepherd were forced off injured with Riley Raikes and Dan Navas coming on respectively.

The visitors were edging the possession and territory and looking the most likely to score next until another setback struck on 66 minutes. Powell’s retaliatory slap after being struck from behind was spotted by the referee who issued a second yellow.

Brixham took full advantage with a well-worked try to settle home nerves (24-14), but were down to 14 themselves for a neck-high tackle from Joel Hempton on replacement Pete Fletcher. With Fletcher unable to continue, Shepherd returned to the field.

Saints’ veteran prop Hugh Noott then rolled back the years with a bull-like charge deep into the Brixham defence, which eventually left the door open for Shepherd to limp over from five metres.

However, Pinkus soon slotted over a 30-metre penalty to allow the home side to see out a 27-21 win and secure their place in the play-off at Topsham on April 25.

The Saints end the season at home to Chew Valley on April 11.

ST AUSTELL: Saunders; Bees, Shepherd, Stanlake, Bullen; Ashwin, Tyrrell; Noott, Harris, Pearce; T Daniel, Vian; Bright, Taylor, Powell. Replacements: Raikes, P Fletcher, Navas.

Tries: Saunders, Harris, Shepherd; Convs: Shepherd (3); Pens: N/A.

Saints’ man-of-the-match: Cam Taylor.