ALEX Welland's needless red card proved to be the defining moment of the game as Camborne slide their way to a one point victory at home to St Austell.

Saturday's tense derby clash in South West One looked to have swung in visitor's favour in the howling wind and rain as Welland went over in the 67th minute for a try which edged them in front.

However, just four minutes later, the same player went from hero to zero as he recklessly picked up and dumped Taron Peacock to the floor after Town's scrum-half had knocked-on.

Referee Adam Wookey showed no hesitation and rightly sent off Welland, who had already been sin-binned in the first half.

Home fly-half David Mankee stepped up and brilliantly threaded the resulting penalty from 45m and about halfway from the centre of the pitch to the left touchline through the posts to put Camborne ahead again, with the score staying the same for the final eight minutes.

With the conditions as they were, it was never going to be a game which either set of backs were going to enjoy and so it proved to be a match dominated by the forwards and waiting for errors to be made.

Town's driving looked to be a massive threat as it ate up metres during the first half and one of these set pieces created the first try for them as the ball was sent out to Mankee, who twisted his way over.

Andy Ashwin soon scored a penalty to make it 7-3, but another catch-and-drive proved too good for St Austell to handle as they used the man advantage with Welland off in the sin-bin with Ashley Lawton completing the move.

Before the half hour mark came, St Austell worked a driving maul in their favour as number eight Paul Winterbottom bundled his way over, with Ashwin's conversion making it 12-10 at the break.

For the opening 15 minutes of the second period, Town dominated possession deep in away terroritory, but only came away with a Mankee penalty from just inside the away half to show for it, even after Winterbottom was sin-binned.

St Austell had their own spell of pressure deep in Camborne's half and came away with what the host's could not, a try, from Welland.

Then came the moment which ultimately turned the game on it's head as Peacock was sent crashing onto his own cranium by Welland.

What made the moment more remarkable was the home scrum-half had already knocked-on and did not have the ball on him.

Wookey gave the centre his marching orders and Mankee nailed the penalty.

No lack of endeavour was displayed by the Saints though as they fought hard in the final few minutes to try and snatch what would be a dramatic win.

However, they could not find the final pass at the right time or keep hold the ball, which by now more slippery than an electric eel to handle, which handed the win to Camborne.

CAMBORNE: 15 G Mankee, 14 Floyd, 13 Kevern, 12 Kenward (c), 11 Ducker, 10 D Mankee, 9 Peacock; 1 Zacharovas (Sheers 73), 2 Bartle, 3 Hearn (Woolcock 68), 4 Lawton, 5 Kemp (Bone 68), 6 Whittle, 7 Goldsworthy, 8 Roberts.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: David Mankee.