By Paul Hayes at Tregorrick Park

REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST

St Austell 22 Marlborough 13

DAN Tyrrell scored twice as St Austell saw off a dangerous Marlborough outfit at Tregorrick Park.

The Wiltshire outfit are stacked with talent both on and off the field from the South Sea Islands, and included 18-capped Tongan prop Halani Aulika from the start, while former New Zealand winger Sitiveni Sivivatu is an advisor and director of rugby is former Tongan international Elisi Vunipola, uncle to England duo Marko and Billy.

After a bruising opening, the visitors took a deserved lead when scrum-half Manatu Leleifi chipped ahead after advancing from halfway and won the race to the line. Full-back Sione Matakaiango added the conversion before slotting a penalty on 13 minutes for a 10-0 advantage.

St Austell responded and soon had a catch and drive held up, but soon after a swift lineout routine gave hooker Pete Harris the opportunity to crash over (5-10).

With the home crowd and players not happy with some of the physical exchanges, and after making their feelings clear the referee reversed a home penalty, allowing Matakaiango to slot a superb 50-metre penalty for 13-5.

Soon after, Chris Ashwin was again the target for a high hit, and it was his fly-half counterpart Rokodaini Waicolayawa who was sent to the sin-bin.

The Saints started the second half well with George Tregilgas and Sam Parsons both going close, and Dan Tyrrell had a score chalked off for a forward pass in the build-up.

The momentum shift was based on the efforts of the Saints pack who were now getting the nudge in the set-piece. A penalty at a scrum was seized upon by the quick-thinking Matt Shepherd whose tap and go caught the Marlborough defence napping (10-13).

A superb counter-attack from Hector Bright and Ben Plummer returned the restart deep into opposition territory to make sure the pressure continued. Winger Peter Tuckley was having a magnificent game and showed some fantastic footwork that would have graced any Fijian sevens side to almost score in the corner. The ball was spread wide, and the Saints really should have scored in the opposite corner when handed a two-man overlap.

But from the resulting scrum the hosts regained position and winger Dan Tyrrell scooted in to spare the blushes. Shepherd added the extras to put the home side in front on the hour mark (17-13).

The hosts now sensed the chance to go further in front, and after a visiting prop was yellow-carded following multiple team infringements at scrum time, number eight Adam Powell combined with Tyrrell to seal the bonus point (22-13).

The visitors’ day turned from bad to worse when Apisai Deucu was shown a red card after lashing out, more in frustration than menace.

To his credit, the number eight was immediately contrite and apologised to Ben Plummer, the referee, and the Saints coaching team on his way from the field.

No more points were forthcoming as the Saints kept themselves fifth in the table before their trip to third-placed Exmouth (2pm).

ST AUSTELL: Archie Bees, Pete Tuckley, Ben Plummer, Sam Parsons, Dan Tyrrell, Chris Ashwin, Matt Shepherd; Matt Boothby, Peter Harris, Peter Rowe, Hector Bright, Tom Daniel, Rory Jago, Kaydan Michael, Adam Powell. Replacements: Ben Woodmansey, Matt Trahair, George Tregilgas.

Tries: Harris, Shepherd, Tyrrell (2); Convs: Shepherd; Pens: N/A.

St Austell man of the match: Pete Tuckley.