Both sides put on an excellent show in front of the Hauliers and Farmers of Cornwall. The large crowd whilst being well entertained will wonder how the Reds ended up losing a game in which they dominated filed position for much of the match. The visitors through never gave an inch in defence and a knock-on’s and turnovers on their line kept them in front and saw the spoils go to the team from Leicestershire.

Redruth got proceedings underway playing towards the on looking HGV Cabs at the Camborne end. An early penalty gave the Reds a lineout on the 22 but the visitors defended well and cleared. The Reds continued to have the better of play until a penalty got the visitors to the home 22. This time it was the Reds who would defend well and the attack ended with the Reds running the ball out of their own 22. A turnover on halfway by Chris Rovery allowed Dan Rutter to put the Reds within 10 metres, the Reds had a number of charges at the defence but a knock-on ended the attack. The Reds however pressurised the visitors to touch down behind their own line for a Redruth 5 metre scrum, but a penalty finally ended the attack. The Reds were however keeping the visitors in their own territory and on 26 minutes they scored a cracking try. A lineout on halfway saw Sam James, typically, make good yards down the middle, the Reds moved the ball back towards the lineout and Dan Rutter made a clean break, found Jack Simmons who drew the defenders and slipped the ball back inside to Rutter to complete the score. Rutter was just wide with his conversion but the Reds were deservedly 5 points to the good. The visitors hit back quickly and from a lineout on the Reds 10 metre a ‘flat’ pass saw them break through the middle and close to the 22. A phase later and the Reds had turned over possession but the clearing kick was charged down and Sam Read won the race to the ball for a try converted by Rory Vowles to put the visitors ahead. The Reds almost went back ahead when after a number of phases around halfway they broke free with some clever passing down the right had side, Levick slipped the ball to James who was tackled just 5 metres short but the ball popped out of the ruck and Hinckley were able to pinch the ball to see out the half.
Halftime: Redruth 5 – 7 Hinckley

The Reds will have felt very hard done by to start the second period in arrears given that they had much the better of the first half. But with the slope in the home sides favour they would have felt confident going into the second 40. A Reds clearance kick was charged down but fell to Rutter who broke out of the 22, great inter passing took play to the visitors line but the last pass agonisingly was knocked on. The Reds put huge pressure on the visitors scrum and Milo Hallam dropped on the loose ball but was adjudged to have knocked-on. A few minutes later the visitors scrum was destroyed on the 22 and conceded a penalty which Rutter popped over to put the Reds a point in front. A brief period of Hinckley pressure ended with the Reds scrum again doing the business. Further Redruth attacks in the 22 looked threatening but the home side were unable to add to their score. Suddenly out of nowhere the visitors went ahead, from a lineout on the Reds 10 metre they made a clean break through fullback Matt Guilfoyle who went over under the posts for a converted try. The match continued in the same vein with play predominately in the visitors half but an isolated Hinckley attack led to a penalty in front of the posts which Vowles put over. The visitors were now 9 points clear with only 6 minutes left on the clock. Could the Reds now get something from the game? A superb 50:22 from Rutter gave them a lineout in the 22 but the Reds were adjudged to have dummied the throw and the chance went begging. Hinckley found touch 50 metres up field to compound the Reds woes. The Reds turned over the Hinckley attack on their own line and launched a thrilling counterattack; Levick ran out of the 22 and deep into the visitors half. The ruck was won by the Reds who almost made the line but strong defence prevented a try. An advantage was being played however and the Reds had a shot at goal from 30 metres for the losing bonus point. Unfortunately the kick hit the post to sum up the Reds day.

The Reds Tribute man-of-the-match was Jack King.

Next Saturday the first XV have a weekend off but the second XV will be taking on Kingsbridge in their last league match of the season, kick-off at 2.30pm.

Redruth
Try: Rutter
Pen: Rutter

Referee: Ben Simpson.
Assistant Referees: Andy Bickle & Marius Botha.

Hinckley
Tries: Read & Guilfoyle
Conv: Vowles (2)
Pen: Vowles.