Camborne 15 - 16 Exmouth

On a wet and dull Saturday afternoon in Cornwall, lowly Camborne belied their league position, running the Cockles very close and, had they an in form place kicker, would have won the day.

Exmouth took an early lead; a penalty kick from Richard Cadywould took play into the home 22. Martin Westaway secured possession at the lineout and set up a drive towards the line, but Camborne defended well, forcing Exmouth to move the ball outside. Quick hands got the ball to full back Matt Hopper and his pace enabled him to elude the defence and score left of the posts. Cadywould added the conversion.

Camborne came straight back at Exmouth from the restart and the Cockles’ indiscipline at the ensuing rucks lost possession and territory, resulting in them being pushed back to defend a lineout in their 22. Lock Nathan Curnow gathered the ball at the set piece, marshalled a strong drive and hooker Andrew Smith touched down for the try. Scrumhalf David Mankee’s poor conversion attempt went woefully wide.

The restart was kicked deep into the Camborne 22, and the Cockles advanced well to put the home side under pressure, but a high tackle by Tony Emmins conceded a penalty, he was yellow carded and Camborne cleared the ball to halfway. The ball was nudged forward at the lineout and Exmouth had a scrum. Graham Smith picked up at eight, was tackled, and a ruck formed, then Camborne were penalised for playing the ball on the floor. Cadywould converted the penalty from the Camborne ten metres line.

Exmouth fumbled the restart, the referee, Ian Pengelly, allowed the advantage and the ball was hacked forward, it hit an Exmouth player and went into touch. Another catch and drive from the lineout took the ball close to the Exmouth line; then individuals attempted to cross the line, but were repelled. Eventually the Camborne forwards’ efforts were rewarded, as a gap appeared and prop Ryan Worden burrowed over. With Mankee receiving attention from the physio, full back Joe Parma attempted the conversion; he too sliced his kick, leaving the scores level at 10-10.

The Cockles had the final say in the first half; awarded a penalty Cadywould kicked deep into Camborne territory but failed to make touch. Parma gathered the ball and went on a penetrating run that took him through a number of would-be tacklers taking him closer to the Exmouth line. A strong tackle by Hopper stopped him in his tracks, Exmouth regained possession at the ruck, and a powerful clearance kick from Cadywould took play to the Cam borne 22. Westaway attacked the lineout ball, tapped the ball to Garry Hooper, but Camborne strayed offside and Cadywould slotted over the penalty, giving Exmouth a slender lead at halftime.

The third quarter of the game gave neither set of supporters much to applaud, with play trapped mainly in the middle third. Exmouth broke the deadlock when Cadywould kicked over another penalty to extend the Cockles’ lead.

Camborne came back at Exmouth and for most of the last twenty minutes had territorial advantage but could not covert their efforts into points. With the game moving towards a close, Camborne were awarded a penalty and punted the ball to touch five metres out. Exmouth stole the ball at the lineout, then immediately dropped it to give Camborne a scrum. Number eight David Roberts picked up at the rear of the scrum, gathered his forwards around him and they drove him over the line to score. Lucky for Exmouth Mankee missed his conversion attempt.

The home side nearly stole the day at the death when a long range drop kick from Parma missed the target and Exmouth held on to win by the narrowest of margins.