LEAGUE newcomers East Cornwall got their first win since promotion with a 24-12 success at Launceston A.

Held at the Newmarket Inn, East Cornwall were looking to bounce back from a heavy 25-11 defeat at Bude in their opener and put in a fine performance.

The first of four sets of nine saw the visitors go 2-0 up thanks to Darren Hooper and Olly Rounsevell, before the hosts hit back as Andrew Wonnacott and Sam Crouch took out Luke Penhaligon and Brian ‘Reedy’ Reed.

The visitors proceeded to reel off three in a row via Marc Pacey, James Edmonds and Gerry Markwell.

The last two frames were shared as Rene Goutte (Launceston) beat Darrell Hidson before Mark Stevens made it 6-3 against Michael Hunt.

Set two started better for the hosts as James Wilson beat Reed, but the East really built up a head of steam as Hooper, Rounsevell, Penhaligon, Pacey and Edmonds rattled off five without reply.

Rob Shinn and Goutte showed some resistance when they took the next two, but Hidson ensured the tail wagged for the East by beating Hunt in frame nine, meaning another 6-3 set for the visitors.

Wilson continued his good form at the start of the third stanza by beating East captain Penhaligon, before a second five-frame rampage effectively put the contest to bed.

Reed starting the charge by beating Winser, before Hooper took out Wonnacott.

Rounsevell carried on the good work in beating Crouch, before Darrell Hidson defeated York and Stevens did likewise against Josh Sanders.

At 17-7 up East Cornwall needed just two of the final 12 frames to guarantee victory, but the hosts did make them wait until the final set.

Shinn got his second success of the night against Pacey before Edmonds put East Cornwall on the hill by beating Goutte.

Hunt’s first win meant a third successive 6-3 set victory for the visitors, but it was 18-9 going into the final nine as East looked to wrap up the tie as soon as possible.

East Cornwall got off to just the start they wanted, taking the first two frames to clinch the match.

Rounsevell and Penhaligon saw off Wilson and Winser, before Launceston got to double figures as Reed came a cropper against Wonnacott.

The next two frames were share as East’s Hooper proved too strong for Crouch, before York defeated Markwell.

At this stage the hosts were putting up a fight in the last set, but the visitors quickly snuffed out any hopes Launceston had of even doing that when Hidson and Stevens got the better of Sanders and Shinn.

Goutte took the frame off Pacey before Edmonds wrapped up proceedings with a win over Hunt to give the East Cornwall boys another 6-3 set win and take the match with an overall emphatic scoreline of 24-12.

East Cornwall’s next game is set for Friday, May 16 (8pm) when they welcome Mid-Cornwall to Liskeard Sports Club.

Their opponents have a record of one win and one defeat so far, racking up 34 points in the process, but did record a 20-16 success at Bude on Friday.

The other match saw Central Cornwall Elite make it three wins from three with a 22-14 success over visiting Penwith.