Capital Gains for Truro

Truro 15 v 10 St Ives

Following a weekend with no fixture for the St Ives 1st XV, it was back into Western Counties West league action last Saturday with a local derby away to Truro. Head Coach Paul Thirlby named a strong side for the clash, with Harry Parton returning to the side. Archie Mackay was named among the replacements, following his recovery from injury.

Still waiting for more than ten years

In recent years encounters between the two sides in the county capital have gone the way of the home side. Previous to that they were in different leagues. One has to go back as far as Saturday 25th March 2006 for an away win at Truro for St Ives, with a score line of 6:25. That was in the South West 2 West league. Anyone reading this who remembers that match or played in it?

The first half saw Truro with the stiff breeze at their backs and the home side soon began to use this to their advantage as they began to pin St Ives back into their own 22. The pressure on the St Ives line intensified as Truro kicked a series of penalties into the corner deep in St Ives territory. In the 10th minute, following a lineout, the Truro forwards successfully executed several pick and go moves, to cross the St Ives try line for the first points of the match, to give the hosts a 5 points to nil lead.

Truro kept up the pressure on St Ives by using the wind effectively which limited the chances for St Ives to mount attacks of their own. A turnover on the edge of the St Ives 22 gave the home side another chance. They caught the St Ives defence cold as they crossed for the second try of the match in the 18th minute. Again the conversion was missed, but Truro had doubled their lead to 10 points to nil.

The pattern of the first half continued with Truro pressing home further attacks on the St Ives line. The Hakes defence, however, was resilient and the St Ives players defended their line with passion, preventing any further score from the home side for the remainder of the half. The referee brought the half to an end with no change to the score.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, the travelling support fully expected St Ives to put the home side under extreme pressure for long periods for the remainder of the match. Things began well for St Ives when Jordan Gott successfully converted a penalty, when the Truro defence was caught offside to put the Hakes within 7 points of the home side at 10 points to 3.

It was Truro who scored the next points of the match. They escaped from the early pressure, following a steal from a St Ives lineout, to cross for their 3rd try of the match. Once again the conversion was missed to put the home side ahead by 15 points to 3 with 49 minutes played.

Only 2 minutes later with the Hakes once again pressing deep in the Truro half the ball was collected by second row Jamie Prisk who bundled his way over the try line to score St Ives’ only try of the match in the 54th minute. This is his seventh try of the season, making him equal top try scorer with Pater Mabbott and Tom Chandler. Gott added the conversion to make the score Truro 15, St Ives 10. This takes him to 190pts with 42 successful conversions from 72 attempts. This is a success rate of 57%, matching that of Grant Thirlby last season.

The remainder of the match saw a frustrated St Ives side find it difficult to escape from their own half of the pitch despite the keen wind at their backs. It looked as though the game was St Ives for the taking if they could only play their rugby in the same areas that Truro successfully achieved in the first half of the match. However, it wasn’t to be and the remainder of the match turned out to be a rather scrappy affair with no side able to add to their score.

The referee brought the game to a close to confirm the victory for Truro, who now move 12 points above St Ives in 4th place in the league table. St Ives stay at 6th place, gaining their tenth losing bonus point, their sixth away from home. Near rivals, St Austell and Torquay, each winning, are a handful of points behind.

This coming Saturday St Ives welcome Wadebridge to Alexandra Road. The North Cornwall side are one place above St Ives in 5th place, but have an 8 point advantage over the Hakes. Kick-off is scheduled for 2:30PM at St Ives; any home support would be very welcome.

St Ives : Ben Jenkins, Ben Taylor (Captain), Tom Chandler, Jamie Prisk, Jake Clemson, Harry Parton, Sean Stevens, Martyn Lawrance, Dan Rutter, Grant Thirlby, Lewis Thomas, Steve Kenward, Joe Parma, Jacob Ninnes, Jordan Gott.

Replacements : Liam Jolly, Pete Mabbott, Archie Mackay. (All Used)