By Barry Mumford

COUNTIES TWO CORNWALL

St Austell Seconds 21 Liskeard-Looe 12

LAST Saturday the Lions made the short distance west to take on a strong St Austell side.

With a number of players unavailable, Liskeard still managed to raise a squad of 18 and included Ben Palmer and Dom Pollard on the bench.

Liskeard played well in the first half and had two big chances to score after excellent forward play, but were denied after the referee had perceived infringements.

However in stoppage time, following a good scrum, number eight Adam Dack, picked up at the back and started a backs move that saw wing Alex Kendall cross.

Fly-half Mike McCarthy added the extras for a 7-0 lead at the break.

Five minutes into the second half Kendall scored his second following a swift backs move, but McCarthy’s conversion went wide.

In the 53rd minute the home side scored a converted try through prop Matt Trahair, off the back of a driving maul, to reduce the lead to five. 

In the 59th minute the Lions lost prop TJ Hicks to the sin-bin for ten minutes, and on 61 minutes St Austell grabbed a second through Mark Vian (14-12).

The referee again denied Liskeard a try following some fine work by the forwards, and any hopes of a bonus point were dashed on 73 minutes when the Saints scored a third converted try by Rory Jago which was added to by Pete Tuckley once more.

Liskeard-Looe roused themselves once more, but the hosts held firm.

Elsewhere, Liskeard Colts welcomed a well organised St Austell where they battled hard in defeat.

LISKEARD-LOOE: Kieran Underhill, Alex Kendall, Andy Rowe, James Noel-Johnson, Sean Simmons, Mike McCarthy, Callum Beaver; Will Stuart, Archie Doidge (capt), TJ Hicks, Mike Prowse, Yestin Hutchings, Cian Goldsmith, Will Hoskin, Adam Dack. Replacements: Ben Palmer, Jonas Putna, Dom Pollard.