Rugby

Tribute Cornwall and Devon League

OPM 5 Saltash 81

In this fixture last season, the East Cornwall side were somewhat complacent and came unstuck. The same could not be said 12 months on as they used every blade of grass on a wide pitch to move the lumbering home pack around.

Saltash were on the board after six minutes with a try from centre Shaun Crawford, converted by Max Venables. Almost from the re-start, some fine interplay put scrum half Ollie Mulberry in for a try and with the Venables' conversion, Saltash were 14-0 up after 10 minutes.

The Old Boys tested the visitors' line, and after a series of phases their centre went over for a try to reduce the arrears to 14-5.

Despite this being their only score, the Plymouth side frustrated the Saltash attacks but tries from wing Ben Tolan and lock Tom Rixson and a conversion from Venables moved them out of sight to 26-5 after 35 minutes. While the home side were trying to hang on until the break, Saltash sensed more scores, and a fine break from prop Sam Snell saw him offload to Venables to go over and convert for 33-5.

From the re-start, and a scrum, Saltash scrum half Ollie Mulberry went from half way to score, with Venables adding the extras to go in at 40-5. After the break, wing Will Morton scored an unconverted try for 45-5 after 43 minutes.

The home heads were now down as Saltash spun the ball wide at will and the gaps came as centre Jason Carroll went over in the 57th minute for a converted try (Venables) for 52-5.

OPMs rallied and found energy from somewhere, although they could not get into the scoring zone and Saltash were happy to defend until the opportunities came, which they did in the last 10 minutes, from replacement Ryan Cruikshanks (2 tries, 1 con), Crawford and number 8 Steve Hillman with Venables adding the conversion. Venables added the final try and converted to complete the rout at 81-5.