Rumours began to circulate before the start of Saturday’s game and as the afternoon unfolded confirmation of the tragic news was received. The sudden passing of Roy has left all those that knew him shocked and deeply saddened and an eerie gloom descended on Tregorrick Park completely at odds with the bright blue cloudless skies. St Austell RFC has lost one of its true characters and a loyal and committed Club man. The Williams family have given much to the Club, Roy as a player and sponsor, while his wife Tina and daughter Summer regularly worked selflessly behind the scenes preparing the players' after-match meals. Despite Roy's recent knee injury he continued to support the Club on match days by putting out the pitch flags, running the scoreboard and helping to sweep out the changing rooms afterwards. All this before going out on a night shift with his taxi company Star Cars. It is now time for the Saints Family to honour a true Saint and give something back to Roy by supporting Tina and Summer through this extremely difficult time.

Events like this put things like rugby and a bad result into a true perspective but for the record Cullompton thoroughly deserved their victory. The Devonians played with a desire and commitment that the home side simply did not match for the first hour of the game. By the time the Saints galvanised a response it was too little too late and although they laid siege for the final quarter of the game they could not find a way through heroic Cully defending.

The visitors got off two a dream start with lock Matthew Handford scoring two identikit tries as he galloped down the blindside unhindered. Fly-half Adam Pearce added two sublime touchline conversions to put the visitors 14-0 after 18 minutes. The Saints briefly stirred and a fine try from centre Callum Wilson and a penalty from full back Dan Pearce either side of the half hour mark suggested the home side would recover. Despite some further pressure of the visitors’ try line it was Cully who extended their lead with a routine Adam Pearce penalty to make the half time score 8-17.

The Saints were sucker punched right from the restart when Cully recovered the kick and set in motion a simple but well executed passing move across the backline. Full back Marcus Busch injected the pace and the overlap to score an unconverted try. The home side were visibly shell shocked and when flanker Sean Mardell burst over it took Cully’s lead to an unassailable 8-29. An almighty drubbing looked to be on the cards such was the Devonian dominance at this point. Thankfully the Cornishmen dug deep within themselves to ensure a degree of respectability whatever the outcome. On the hour mark skipper Miles Davey exploded through a gap in the visitor’s defence for a converted try. The Saints laid siege for the last 20 mins but in the face of some tenacious and determined defending they simply could not force their way through to grab a score that might of jarred the visitors’ nerves. Callum Wilson, Adam Kellow and Ryan Knott all crossed the line only to be held up by brave defenders and when a two man overlap went begging a subdued Tregorrick crowd knew there was no way back.

There were tears at the end, but not for the result but the realisation that a friend and team mate had been lost in tragic circumstances. The Saints are scheduled to play Avonmouth Old Boys at Tregorrick next Saturday but the mood of the players will be assessed during the week to see if they are in the right frame of mind to play. Rest in Peace Roy "Sharkey" Williams.

Match Stats:

St Austell: Mason-Maxwell; Davey; Rowe; Vian; Kellow; Grigg; Venner; Jeffs; Ashwin (Captain); Boyer; Ewudzi; Welland; Wilson; Chenoweth; Pearce (D)

Replacements: Knott; Barbery; Johns

St Austell:
Tries – Callum Wilson (28) Miles Davey (61)
Cons – Dan Pearce (28, 61)
Pens – Dan Pearce (31)
Drop Goal –

Cullompton:
Tries – Matthew Handford (4, 18) Marcus Busch (41) Sean Mardell (55)
Cons – Adam Pearce (4, 18, 55)
Pens – Adam Pearce (36)
Drop Goal –

Yellow Cards:
St Austell: None
Cullompton: None

Red Cards:
St Austell: None
Cullompton: Andrew Issac (69)

Referee: Kevin Williams (Cornwall RRS)

Saints’ Man of the Match: Alex Welland – One of the few Saints players to shine on a miserable day for St Austell. Carried the ball well and constantly made ground in the face of a ferociously determined defence.