St Austell 25 Okehampton 11
Winger Alex Welland scored a brace of tries for the second week running to help St Austell record their 15th win in 16 games with a bonus point victory against a committed Okehampton. A dominant first half followed by an explosive opening 10 minutes in the second period proved enough for the Saints as the game fizzled out in the final quarter. Heavy overnight rain made for a heavy pitch so the home side did well to move the ball whenever possible against an opposition determined to slow things down.

The home side got off to a great start and Okehampton had to contend with a wave of fast moving attacks. The pressure was beginning to tell and a despairing clearance kick out of defence went straight down the throat of Alex Welland. The winger needed no further invitation, as he superbly gathered the ball to outstrip the Okes back line and score the first try of the day, converted by scrum half Matt Shepherd. The home side continued to press and an excellent break by Marcus McCoan caused all sorts of panic in the visitors’ 22. Good work by the supporting back row set flanker Jack Nelson on his way only for an Okehampton infringement to prevent any further progress with a handsome overlap beckoning. Shepherd took 3 points as compensation to put the home side 10-0 ahead with 12 minutes gone. The visitors started to make some territorial progress with a series of “pick and goes” but were finding the home side determined and organised in defence. With the Okes’ attacks blunted, the Saints shifted up a gear to grab two quick scores in 3 minutes. McCoan again side stepped his opposite number to feed Shepherd on the halfway line. The scrum half cleverly chipped ahead into the Okes’ 22 and it was centre Ian Venner who won the race against 3 Devonians to fly hack the ball onwards into the try area. Scott McNally crowned a fine personal performance with a lung-busting 40 metre run to gleefully touchdown. Minutes later Welland stripped the Okes of the ball before turning on the gas to accelerate away to capture his second try to take his tally to 10 for the season. Okehampton hit back with two late penalties from fly half Carl Poynton to make the half time score 20-6.

The Saints started the second half in explosive style with a series of high tempo attacks. The visitors were struggling to contain the pace of the Saints as forwards and backs interchanged to deliver quick ball. After three near misses, home flanker Rob Jeffs finally turned pressure into points when he burst through from a line out to touchdown and capture the bonus point. Okehampton were finding the Saints too hot to handle and at this stage they appeared to be facing the prospect of a heavy defeat. So the visitors’ deserve credit for digging deep and showed a great deal of tenacity to dominate play for the remainder of the game. They were undoubtedly helped by a collective easing off by the home side who clearly thought that at 25-6 the game was won. Despite all their possession the Okes rarely looked like scoring a try against the well drilled Saints’ defence. The margin meant the visitors had to spurn kickable penalties to run the ball, but their predictable and one-dimensional attacks just played into the home side’s hands. The one time they introduced some creativity they scored an excellent try with a clever cross field kick from one wing to the other. With all the Saints defenders drawn to one side it was left to flanker Tom McGratton to gather the kick and steal over for a consolation try. The game petered out without any further troubling of the scoreboard with the Saints winning 25-11.

Man of the match was Welland, who attacked with zeal and defended diligently throughout to ensure the all five points stayed in Tregorrick. With both Bideford and Torquay Athletic both getting bonus point wins as well that was important as the promotion race starts to hot up. Next week the Saints travel to the banks of the Fal for a Cornish derby with Penryn (KO 2:30).

Match Stats:

St Austell: Rowe; Grigg; Martin; Pearce; McNally; Jeffs; Nelson; Howorth; Shepherd; Ashwin (Captain); Welland; Earp; Venner; McCoan; Murley
Replacements: Kellow; Tank; Noott

St Austell:
Tries – Welland (6, 31); McNally (28); Jeffs (45)
Cons – Shepherd
Pens – Shepherd
Drop Goal –

Okehampton:
Tries – McGratton
Cons –
Pens – Poynton (2)
Drop Goal –

Yellow Cards:
St Austell: None
Okehampton: None

Red Cards St Austell: None Okehampton: None

Referee: Jane Pizzi (Cornwall RRS)

Saints Man of the Match: Alex Welland