Pethy gave the Cornishmen a harsh lesson in clinical finishing taking all five points on offer with a fully deserved bonus win. The Saints enjoyed their fair share of possession to spend long periods in the Somerset side’s territory but were never quite able to carve out the score.

The Saints belied their less than perfect pre-match preparations to dominate the opening quarter to produce their best rugby of the match. Despite a couple of very close calls Pethy’s defence held out and the Saints had to settle for a single Andy Ashwin penalty to lead 3-0. The home side were now stringing some phases together and their big runners in midfield were starting to break the gain line with increasing regularity. The Saints were left reeling by two tries in two minutes when first Miles McNellie and then James Taylor touched down. Harry Roberts converted one and added a penalty just before the break to make the score 15-3 at half time.

The Saints started the second period in the ascendency and an early score might have changed the complexion of the game. The visitors struggled to find either the guile or the power to finish off some good approach work as Pethy’s defence again held firm. There was a sense that a second Ashwin penalty was a meagre return for a lot of hard work and so it proved as the Saints were again sucker punched by a second salvo of two tries in two minutes from a rampant Pethy. The first was a flowing move finished off in the corner by winger Jack Kohler and straight from the restart the outstanding James Taylor made a 40m break before offloading to allow Kohler to claim his second try. In the blink of an eye the Saints were now 27-6 down and any chance of clawing their way back into the game was gone. The visitors stoically went in search of a consolation score but Pethy were not in a benevolent mood and rubbed salt into the wounds with a fine breakaway try finished by full back Harry Roberts to make the final score 32-6.

The Saints were bitterly disappointed by their performance but will have been pleased to see that their youngsters have another SW1 West game under their belts. Next week sees the visit of Cleve to Tregorrick, the Bristol side are one of the favourites for promotion and last season the Saints came out on top over two epic encounters (KO 3pm).

Match Stats:
St Austell: Noott; Davey (Captain); Martin; Vian; Kellow; Jeffs; Grigg; Howe; Tank; Ashwin; Pellow; Welland; Freeman; Johns; Pearce (D)

Replacements: Winterbottom; Tyack; Ewudzi

St Austell:
Tries –
Cons – Ashwin (8, 55)
Pens –
Drop Goal –

North Petherton:
Tries – McNellie; Taylor; Kohler (2); Roberts
Cons – Roberts (2)
Pens – Roberts
Drop Goal –

Yellow Cards:
St Austell: None
North Petherton: None

Red Cards:
St Austell: None
North Petherton: None

Referee: (Bedford RRS)

Saints’ Man of the Match: Alex Welland