Saints beat Plymstock

Saints continues their unbeaten start to the season and remain gridlocked at the top of the league with Wellington and Exeter Saracens. Their points difference leaves them in second spot and one more try against their Plymouth rivals and they could have been top of the league. As it was they ran in 11 unanswered tries with centre Andy Ashwin converting 8 of them.

The writing was on the wall for a depleted Plymstock Albion Oaks side when after 5 minutes the ball was spread wide for winger Meshak Esien, who took off from inside his own half to outpace three defenders and score with Ashwin adding the extras, making it 7-0.

It was soon 12-0 when centre Tony Marshall, playing his first league game this season scored after good work by co centre Ashwin. Saints eased off slightly and allowed the big visiting forwards to maul the ball upfield and the next home score didn't come until midway through the first half and was a carbon copy of Esiens first try as the winger was given the ball in space and his scintillating pace did the rest.
Ashwin again converted and then scored and converted his own try and a handling move involving both forwards and backs for a 26-0 lead.

By now Saints were attacking from everywhere with the ball carrier always having players in support waiting to carry on the move. next on the score sheet was replacement Luke Jones who had been on the field after only 10 minutes when fullback Ian Venner was forced to leave with a hamstring pull. The final score of the half went to man of the match Scott McNally who raced over from 20 yards as the visitors ran out of steam, and when Ashwin converted, the half time score was 38-0.

The second half was a stop start affair with the Saints scrum pushing their opponents over the line for no 8 Adam Kellow to score. Scrum half Matt Shepherd was next on the list and before long flanker Rob Jeffs forced his way over from close range to make the score 59-0. On the hour Meshak completed his hat trick, again with another move started in his own half and the final score came from centre Marshall, with his second try of the match which completed an easy win at 71-0.

St Austell are off to a flying start but are under no illusions that there will be many difficult games ahead.