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Redruth 14 Blackheath 34 Nigel Walrond Sunday Independent
 

Step into Management

REDRUTH’S horrible week took a further turn for the worse as they were comfortably beaten by Blackheath in their opening home league game of the season.

The Reds were hoping a victory would ease the pain of their 10-point deduction for failing to come out for the second half of their match at Cambridge last weekend.

But instead this performance merely added to their misery, and unless Redruth quickly start finding the form that made them one of the pre-season promotion favourites, they are going to find themselves embroiled in a battle at the other end of the table.

They also suffered yet another injury blow, with debutant lock Keith Larrard breaking his collarbone in the second half, and with Redruth having used all of their replacements, they had to play the final 15 minutes with only 14 men.

One of the most worrying aspects of Redruth’s game in recent weeks has been their defence, and they have now shipped 112 points in their last two-and-a-half games, if you include the Cambridge nightmare.

There was no sign of what was to come in this match in the opening stages, as Redruth got all the anger and frustration of the past few days out of their system by scoring two excellent tries.

Inspired by the return from New Zealand of number eight Mark Bright, they took a fourth-minute lead when captain and full-back Craig Bonds fielded a kick from Blackheath winger Martin Olima midway inside his own half and appeared to take the wrong option as he was swallowed up by the visiting defence.

But the ball was quickly recycled, and winger Rob Thirlby and openside flanker James Mann exchanged passes down the left flank before Thirlby cantered over, with Griffiths adding the conversion.

Blackheath full-back Frankie Neale slotted an eighth-minute penalty, but Redruth scored again soon after when a catch-and-drive penalty move was halted just short of the line, but the ball was moved swiftly to the left, with Bonds putting centre Paul Thirlby over, and Griffiths again added the extras for a 14-3 lead.

Amazingly, that was the last time Redruth troubled the scoreboard operators as Blackheath started to produce the sort of display expected of them before the game.

They completely dominated the rest of the half, and if it had not been for a woeful kicking display by Neale – he missed two conversions and two penalties that were very kickable – they could have been out of sight by the break.

A quickly-taken tap penalty by scrum-half Joe Simpson set up Blackheath’s first try after 20 minutes, with player-coach Harvey Biljon slicing through a gap in midfield and putting in lock Neil Dewale.

Neale then squandered three opportunities for more points, while fly-half Matt Leek saw a 35-metre drop goal attempt come back off the upright.

But it was only a matter of time before Blackheath scored again, and this time it was hooker Alex Natera finishing off a rolling maul.

Redruth’s cause was not helped when flanker Fale Seve was sin-binned after repeated infringements by the hosts, and it was then the turn of Leek – who took over the kicking duties from the wayward Neale – to blow a 40-metre penalty chance.

However, Blackheath still managed to capitalise on their one-man advantage before the interval when centre Rory Binder battered his way over beside the posts, and Leek converted for a 20-14 interval lead.

Griffiths missed two golden opportunities early in what proved to be a dire, error-strewn spectacle of a second half with off-target penalty attempts, but despite not playing well, Redruth hung in there, knowing a converted try would edge them back in front.

However, they suffered a killer blow in the 73rd minute when Rob Thirlby dropped a shoulder-high pass in midfield, and a series of forward drives resulted in a try by flanker Richard Pike, with Leek converting to put Blackheath virtually out of sight at 27-14.

Any chance of Redruth staging a comeback disappeared with Larrard’s injury, and they conceded a fifth try in the ninth minute of injury time when Griffiths fed centre Simon Peters with a hospital pass, and when he was crunched by Biljon, the ball fell loose for former Launceston winger Olima to pick up and score, with Leek once more slotting the conversion for the Londoners.

Redruth: C Bonds (capt), L Vinnicombe, P Thirlby, S Peters, R Thirlby, G Griffiths, M Richards (D Pascoe 60), D Jacques (A Morcom 74), D Dawidiuk (G Cooper 58), P Joyce, D Cook, K Larrard, F Seve, J Mann (C Fuca 74), M Bright.

Blackheath: F Neale, M Olima, W Wigram (H Biljon 11), R Binder, R Piotrowski, M Leek, J Simpson, S Legg (R Thirion 64), A Natera (T Lindsay 74), D Brett, N Dewale, A Vanner, R Pike (J Kellard 80+4), J Kellard (D Allen 64), K Aseme.

Referee: Richard Parker-Sedgemoor (RFU).

Scorers – Redruth: tries, R Thirlby, P Thirlby; cons, Griffiths (2). Blackheath: tries, Dewale, Natera, Binder, Pike, Olima; cons, Leek (3); pen, Neale.

Yellow card: Redruth – Seve 39.

Attendance 650.

Redruth Man of the Match - Rob Thirlby, presented by Tony Wickett on behalf of Goldring Yates

At half time Trewirgie School provided a touch tugby Minis exhibition and the Reds squad joined in for photos after the final whistle.

07/10/2007 00:00:00
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