Redruth coach Nigel Hambly commended his players' endeavour after a 19-6 defeat to National Division One side London Welsh on Sunday.

The Reds put on a brave fight in abysmal conditions at the Recreation Ground but their participation in the EDF Energy National Trophy is over for another season. Welsh now have an away tie at Nottingham on Sunday February 3rd in Round 5.

Fly-half Gareth Griffiths put Hambly's men in front twice in the first half with two well-struck penalties, but the visitors levelled on the stroke of half time before two tries and another penalty in the second half sunk the Cornish underdogs.

However, the manner of Redruth's performance suggested they are truly ready to break free from the relegation zone once National Division Two action resumes next weekend at home to Cambridge.

Hambly said: "I think the guys fronted up well today and gave 100 per cent. They were just a little bit better than us at the end of the day but I've got no complaints about the effort and commitment. We're disappointed but we'll regroup and be firing on all cylinders for next week."

The Reds certainly started at full throttle against Welsh yesterday. Winger Tim McBride chased a Mark Richards kick down the right wing and kicked the ball on into Hell Fire Corner.

However, centre Rudolf Meredith reached the ball first and knocked on as the ball slipped from his grasp.

Within seconds the Reds were on the charge again and a deft cross-field kick from Griffiths only just failed to find winger Sam Parsons in space on the left before the wind took it out of play.

The visitors then began to step up their game and won a penalty deep in the Reds' half. However, fly-half Matt Jones failed to put his kick between the posts, dragging his strike to the left.

Griffiths showed his opposite number how it should be done 20 minutes later to give his side the lead with sweetly struck penalty from an identical position at the other end of the pitch.

Jones did level with a penalty four minutes later, however, but Redruth continued to press forward and gave Griffiths further ammunition with another penalty two minutes before the break as both sides battled with a player in the sin-bin for foul play.

The lead was again only temporary, however, as Jones struck to bring Welsh level again with the last kick of the first half.

The visitors started the second half brightly, forcing the defiant Redruth line deep into their own half, but it took them until the hour mark to find a way through. Prop Charlie Beech found the gap just to the left of the posts to touchdown only for Jones to slip and fail with the easy conversion chance.

London Welsh did extend their lead 12 minutes later. Full-back Paul Sampson broke free down the left and kicked along the ground into the corner, and his pace saw him reach the ball first to score.

Jones again missed the conversion, and despite more determined probing from the hosts, Sampson's score was the last of the game.

Afterwards, Hambly reflected that the heavy pitch may have played into his opponents' hands. He said: "The conditions probably suited them a little more. The ball didn't have too much width on it and they controlled around the ruck area which was key today."

Hambly now turns his attention back to league matters and next week's grudge match with Cambridge. Redruth lost the corresponding fixture earlier in the season and were deducted ten league points for failing to play the second half after finding their belongings missing from their changing room at half time.

However, Hambly said: "Cambridge next Saturday is now a massive game for us, on the field more than off the field! Obviously, it's been well documented what's happened, but we won't be concentrating on that."

And the Reds coach admits that yesterday's game took its toll with injuries to Griffiths, Meredith and talismanic N.o 8 Mark Bright. "Gareth's twisted his knee so it's unlikely he'll be ready for next week," said Hambly. "We took Rudolf off with a dead leg as a precaution and Brighty has got a sore knee."

Report - courtesy Bill Sobey, Western Morning News.

Man of the Match - Glenn Cooper presented by Peter Martin, Electrical and Plumbing Contractors.

Redruth scorers - Griffiths 2 pens

Redruth - Bonds, McBride (Simmons), Meredith (Peters), PJ Gidlow, Parsons, Griffiths (G.Thirlby), Richards; Jacques (Williams), Cooper, Joyce (Douch), Cook (Corin), Collins, Pascoe, Fuca (Wood), Bright.

London Welsh scorers:

Tries: Beech, Sampson; Pens: Jones (3).

London Welsh:

P Sampson, G Evans, J Storey (T Marks 43min), R Jewell, P Mackey, M Jones, R Evans (A Chilten h-t), C Beech, A Kwasnicki (S Koto Vuli 50min), K Gay (P Doran Jones 38min), K Burke, H Quigley (M Corker 77min), P Cox, S Etheredge, J Mills © (B Thomas 77min).

Referee - Tony Spreadbury

Touch Judges - Richard Parker-Sedgmoor and Lloyd Jackson