Penryn 58pts

Withycombe 10pts

Withycombe came to the Memorial Ground bouyant after two wins out of two in the Western Counties West League and were brimming with confidence after several close season signings.

One local newspaper went so far as to say that they had signed so many players that they had run out of player registration forms, but the Borough have never been a side to be impressed by those who talk a good game and handed out a real hiding.

The Borough were without regular hooker Phil Wells, and Andrew Laity, a Penryner recently resigned from Pirates, took over the number two spot. With Brett Whitmill still recovering from injury, Matt Keverne and Darren Jacques continued as props.

For about 15 minutes it rather looked as though the visitors would overwhelm the Borough with their new signing, Australian Scott Lewis, controlling the game from fly half.

An early penalty attempt failed after persistent pressure, but the tables began to turn and the Borough started to take over.

After three scrums on the Withy line the forwards took the ball over the line and No 8 Ben Short touched down. Peter Gregory failed with the conversion.

Withycombe came right back in to the game when they converted a penalty to make the score 5- 3 .

Withycombe continued to press, but the Borough defence was very solid and after 25 minutes Kevin Hughes made a break from his own 22, passed to James Mann, who ran some 60 yards for James Greville Smith to ground the ball under the posts. Peter Gregory was unlikely to miss this conversion and Borough were steaming ahead.

But it did not end there. Rampant play, from both threes and forwards, kept play very much in the opponents' half and eventually referee Treve Dunstan awarded Borough a penalty which Gregory converted.

After 30 minutes Borough were awarded another penalty in their own half, which Gregory kicked in to touch. From the line-out, with lock James Angove gaining possession, the resulting three quarter moves ended with Sheldon Waetford scoring under the posts. The conversion took the score to 22 - 3, but shortly afterwards Withycombe came back with a David Kimberley try from a forward rush. Lewis converted.

From the kick off Penryn's forwards took the game back to the visitors and James Mann scored again under the posts. The conversion took the halftime score to 29-10.

In the second half the Borough ran in five more tries, with two of them converted. Withycombe were unable to match the power and free running of the home team's backs and the final score was 58 points to 10.

This was another fine effort by Borough, with backs and forwards combining well; there is no apparent loose link in the squad and it is impossible to give any one player more credit than all of the team, including the replacements who came on and helped to contribute to this magnificent victory.

The threes functioned well as a unit and frequently cut through the Withycombe defence with some excellent moves, some of which were rehearsed in training but others of which were spontaneous and demonstrated the confidence every player has in the team, who now have two good league wins under their belt, and are lying second to Ivybridge in the league.

The "Bridgers" reeled off another victory at Bideford and have won three out of three to stay top of the Western Counties West table. Elsewhere in Western Counties Hayle lost at Newton Abbot, Tiverton beat Paignton Camborne had almost a cricket score against Okehampton, whilst St Just were just able to overcome St Ives.

Withycombe brought their 1st and 2nd XV's to the Memorial Ground last Saturday, and it proved to be another excellent win for the 2nd XV, with a record score of 70 points to 10, from a team who who are unbeaten.

In particular it is encouraging to see ex colts Steve Patterson and Trevor Lampshire playing well in the front row. Adam Giles also played well and with John Holroyd, Allen Jordan, Peter Webster and Navy fly half Rob O'Kane in the line-up, Borough were far too strong for Withy, who looked very confident and professional in the pre-match warm up session.

On Saturday Penryn visit Hayle for a Western Counties league fixture while the respective 2nd XVs meet each other at the Memorial Ground. Both games kick off at 3 pm.

Team news is featured on the back page.