On a lovely day with great views of Dartmoor shaping the horizon the young Reds took the spoils in a game that looked comfortable at half-time but in the end was anything but. The visitors playing with the moderate breeze stormed into a big first half lead but a fighting come back from Tavi made for a very nervous final 10 mins for the travelling supporters.

The hosts had the better of the early exchanges without really threatening the Reds line. It was to be the Reds who struck first; a clearance box kick was dropped giving the Reds a scrum on halfway. They launched the backs into action and in two phases they were on the Tavistock line, a few forward drives punched a hole which Charlie Way shot through to go over for the first try converted by Nat Dart on 10 mins. Indeed in the final reckoning it was to be Darts accuracy with the boot that was to prove the difference between the two sides. Tavistock soon hit back, from a scrum around halfway Tavistock went through the phases without making much ground until a snipe down the blind side put left wing Watts away, he kicked ahead and won the race to get the touchdown, the conversion from wide out was missed. A couple of minutes later the Reds extended their lead through a Dart penalty. There now followed around 10 mins of action with both teams having their periods of ascendancy, the next score came from the home side when Watts broke through the Reds line on the right hand edge and went under the posts to give the home side the lead for the first time. Redruth hit back very quickly, Wray collected a clearance on halfway and his jinking run around a number of defenders took play into the 22. Tavi weathered that storm but soon after Fowler-Beaton picked up a loose ball in midfield and after the ball went through a number of hands he finished what he had started going over wide on the right. Dart stroked over a fine conversion to put the Reds 5 points to the good. The Reds were now beginning to really hit their stride, a Kaiden Carne run made good ground and then a multi phase move challenged the home defence and ended with Ben Smith jinking his way past a couple of defenders to go over for another converted try. The home side put the kick-off straight out gifting the Reds a scum on halfway, from there they again got going moving the ball quickly from phase to phase. Eventually they were awarded a penalty and the ball was put into the corner. The forwards from the 5 metre lineout made no mistake with Jarrod Hambly getting the try, Dart again converting from wide out. This proved to be the final action of the first 40.
Half-time: Tavistock 12 – 31 Redruth

If the home side were to make a game of it they need to score quickly in the 2nd period, they did just that. Tavi won a penalty which gave them a lineout in the 22 and field position. They never let the Reds fully escape and from a scrum near the line they moved the ball left and Bowden went over for an unconverted try on 48 mins. Tavi were now playing the game mainly in the Reds half and after a penalty was put into the corner they challenged the Reds line. Another penalty followed and they opted for the scrum. The Reds held them up over the line but from the goal line drop-out the ball came straight back with Bowden getting his second in the left hand corner for an unconverted try. The Reds still held a 9 point lead going into the last quarter. The home side kept up the pressure spending the next 10 mins in or around the Reds 22. The visitors were defending well but finally the dam broke and Tamerton went over on the right for try that was yet again unconverted but the home side were now only 4 points behind with 10 mins left on the clock. The Reds though hadn’t read the comeback script and after reclaiming the kick-off they launched a series of quick attacks in the style of the first 40. Many players made good ground and good hands put replacement Luke Young over in the left hand corner, for once the kick went unconverted and the Reds had a 9 point lead going into the last 8 mins. Any feeling that the game was over soon ended when Fuller went over for the home side and converted his own try to make it a 2 point game with only 4 mins left to play. Despite valiant attempts by the home side the Reds played out time to claim the victory.
The Reds will be delighted with this victory against a powerful Tavistock side and will look to keep the winning run going next week when they hit the road again, this time to Bude. Don’t worry they will be back playing at home on November the 16th!!

Tavistock
Tries: Watts (2), Bowden (2), Lamerton, Fuller.
Conv: Fuller (2)

Redruth
Tries: Way, Fowler-Beaton, Smith, Hambly, Young.
Conv: Dart (5)
Pen: Dart