By Barry Mumford at the Newquay Sports Centre
COUNTIES TWO CORNWALL
Newquay 31 Liskeard-Looe 0
LISKEARD-LOOE’S unbeaten run came to an end at Newquay on Saturday as the hosts saw off their depleted opponents 31-0.
The Lions travelled west to second placed Newquay, with only 13 available from the club squad of 35, so club chairman, Mike Mander and veteran Lewis Elliott, donned their boots again to make it up to a bare 15.
Prior to kick off it was announced that league sponsors, St Austell Brewery, had awarded the team of the month of September to the Lions and this was presented by CRFU’s Denis Preece. This award was accompanied by two balls, also from the brewery.
Newquay put early pressure on Liskeard, but it wasn’t until the 16th minute that points were on the board, this came about when the home side scored a converted try.
Newquay started to put more pressure on Liskeard and in the 35th minute Lions fly-half, Mike McCarthy, was shown a dubious yellow card and immediately the home side scored their second converted try to take the half-time score 14-0.
It had been a difficult half for Liskeard, playing into a strong wind that made clearance kicks difficult, but they had defended well.
Just after half-time Newquay scored their third try, this time unconverted to make it 19-0.
Liskeard started coming back putting pressure on the home side, this was stopped by awarding a penalty to Newquay, a couple of yards from the home try line.
Liskeard continued to put pressure on and each time the referee pulled them up and awarded a penalty to the Hornets.
In the 70th minute Newquay took a ball against the head, at a Liskeard scrum, by pushing the Liskeard eight back, the first time in the game they had done so.
They started to run the ball, then kicked ahead and despite good defence scored their bonus point try which was unconverted.
On 76 minutes the home side scored the final points of the game, despite an obvious knock-on during the move, and scored a converted try to make the final score 31-0.
The view from the touchline was that the visitors could, and perhaps should, have notched a couple of tries.
Jack Badnall took the man of the match award for the Lions.
The Lions will look to bounce back on Saturday when Wadebridge Seconds are the visitors to Lux Park (3pm).
LISKEARD-LOOE: James Noel-Johnson, Jonas Putna, Billy Edwards, Jack Badnall, Sean Simmons, Mike McCarthy, Callum Beaver; Mike Mander, Archie Doidge (capt), Oscar Mortimer, Will Stuart, Yestin Hutchings, Lewis Elliott, Andy Rowe, Cian Goldsmith.
By David Sillifant
BODMIN were eventually well beaten 50-12 by Helston in Counties Two Cornwall.
The West Cornwall side, who host table-topping Saltash on Saturday in a battle of the unbeaten sides, only led 14-12 at the break, but put the afterburners on after the restart to head back down the A30 with five points.
Their tries came via Jack Jenkin, Treave Cowls, Rown Larencw, Courtney Black, Decarlo Trerise (2), Amori Matanatabu and Stewart Ferguso with five conversions coming from Tomas Townsend.
Bodmin’s points came from Dillon Newton and Fraser Nottle tries, one of which was added to by Char Parker.
In Counties Three Cornwall, Saltash Seconds had a tough afternoon as they were thrashed 58-21 by high-flying Launceston Castles at Moorlands Lane.
The Ashes’ scorers were Ollie Crawford, Fin Jones and Aiden Marshall with Nick Blake slotting three conversions.
Lankelly-Fowey, who are seeking new players, were thrashed 114-0 by visiting Camborne Seconds, a side that had plenty of players who have played at a far higher level.