Penryn handed Saltash the advantage in the race for promotion from the Cornwall/Devon league after losing a tight affair between the two sides on Saturday.

The entertaining clash exploded into life after 20 minutes when Penryn’s Adam Hughes broke through the Ashes defence for an excellent try.

Mitchell Vague converted and added a penalty moments later to put Penryn in control, before a Kieran Down penalty for the visitors made it a seven-point game at the break.

The Ashes started the second half brightly and flanker Lewis Wells crashed over in the corner to reduce the gap to two points.

But the game-changing period came when Andrew Seviour was sent to the bin for a deliberate knock-on, before Tomas Townsend joined Seviour in the bin for dissent.

Down to 13, Penryn defended manfully, but two quick-fire tries from Will Morton made the Borough pay. The visitors secured the bonus point shortly after when Olly Mulberry went over, with Down converting this time to give Saltash a commanding 25-10 lead.

Penryn were back in business when Kyle Gratrix rumbled over, and Vague converted to cut the lead to eight.

Penryn still weren’t finished as Townsend squeezed his way over to get Penryn back into losing-bonus-point territory. Vague’s conversion was wide though and time was up.

Penryn: Strick, Saberton, Hitchens, Seviour, Salisbury, Vague, Townsend, Patterson, Birkett, Gratrix, Hancock, Trevaskis, Hughes, Jones, Randlesome. Reps: Degenhardt, Goldsworthy, Hellier.