Camborne recorded a memorable Boxing Day win over their old rivals with a performance full of passion and pride before a crowd of more than 1,000 at Redruth’s Recreation Ground.

The Cherry & Whites defended resolutely to a man with skipper Jon Drew and player/coach Damien Cook outstanding upfront and when try scoring opportunities arose the visitors crucially capitalised.

Early on ‘Town’ were on the back foot playing up the slope and after going behind to a converted score only determined defence kept the deficit at 7-0. Twice teenage full back Adam Long made telling tackles on Reds centre Connor Gilbert before the momentum of the game changed when Camborne were reduced to 14 men following a sin binning.
As the home side looked to capitalise on the extra man by exploiting the overlap Camborne twice picked off loose passes to sweep upfield and take the lead.

First lock Neil Stanleick snaffled Pale Nonu’s offload and set off on a lung busting 60 metre run to the goal line at the Camborne end off the ground. When he was hauled down metres short the ‘Town’ pack piled in urged on by their faithful with flanker Cameron Bone stretching over to dot down. David Mankee’s conversion tied the score at 7-7.
Almost immediately Redruth took play into Camborne’s final third looking for a score but instead centre Declan Matthews leapt to grab Ashley Hosking’s lobbed pass and gleefully romped fully eighty metres upfield to cross under the posts. Fly half Mankee duly banged over the regulation conversion to give his team a seven points lead.

In a lengthy period of 1st half stoppage time Redruth eventually levelled matters at 14-14 with a converted score.

Camborne enjoyed the better of territory throughout most of the 2nd period with replacement Rhys Brownfield kicking for territory to pin the home side back. An opportunity to regain the lead eventually arose with Mankee calmly finding the posts with a thirty five metres penalty shot.
Colt’s wing Oakley Smitham had come on for his debut at half time but the Cherry & Whites youngster was injured in a brave touchline tackle and stretchered from the field to warm applause midway through the half.

With local bragging rights at the stake the Reds mustered a late onslaught hammering on the Camborne line in a sustained period of attack. The visitors lost two men to the sin bin in the closing minutes but would not yield as the game ended with a home side knock on close to the posts at the Camborne end. This left a triumphant ‘Town’ to celebrate wildly in front of their partisan support.

Scorers: tries, Bone, Matthews; cons, Mankee 2; pen, Mankee
Camborne: A Long*, L Thomas, J Semmens, D Matthews, M Blee, D Mankee, B Bawden, M Hearn, T Southworth, J Drew (capt), N Stanleick, D Cook, C Bone, J Nicholls, J Rose,
(reps) L Trewhella, A Zacharovas, A Riches, P Hinchley, O Smitham*, R Brownfield, A Hendra*, M.Gratrix*. (* denotes Camborne Colts)

It's back to league business for Town next when they face the 'Devon All Whites' Newton Abbot at home on the 5th January.
Selectors will be hoping to see a number of their back division who missed the Boxing Day clash return for this one. The club are expecting to see a large crowd at the REC for this Cornwall vs Devon SW Premier league derby and with in form Alex Ducker (14 tries from 16 games) facing former Exeter Chief's Matt Jess (the pair scored 6 tries between them in the away match earlier this season) in the lineups it promises to be an entertaining match!