Camborne 14, Cleve 17

Camborne went down to a narrow defeat as the streetwise visitors survived a late home onslaught despite finishing with only 13 players on the field.

‘Town’ made a number of changes to the side that had defeated Newbury with Matt Blee and fit again Declan Matthews returning to the back line and skipper Jon Drew and Ashley Riches back upfront.

David Mankee led out the Cherry & Whites to mark the occasion of his 300th senior appearance for the club.

In good conditions Cleve took an early lead profiting from a fortuitous deflection of a high kick to work an opportunity for full back Joe Hall to touch down wide out.

Still inside the first quarter back came Camborne with a quickfire brace of penalties from the reliable boot of Mankee to lead 6-5.

Prop Malcolm Hearn after a storming run went close for the home side but when the ball was turned over the visitors went the length of the field only for influential flanker Jordan Rose to halt the attack with a superb last ditch tackle.

It looked like the half would end with the Cherry & Whites in front but on the whistle a clearance kick went astray and Cleve’s dangerous wing Sam Polledri capitalised with a corner try for 6-10.

Playing down the slope the home side opened the second period with fly half Mankee’s third regulation penalty success reducing the arrears to a solitary point.

Minutes later Camborne attacked but a reversed penalty allowed the visitors to break out and the strong running Polledri powered over on the left flank for his second try which fly half Nathan Huntley converted.

Trailing by eight points Camborne hit back on the hour when young replacement Jordan Nicholls burst clear to set up a position from where industrious lock Riches was driven over in front of the West Bank.

Another strong Nicholls run late on took play deep into Cleve territory as the home side laid siege.

The visitors picked up a yellow card in halting the first attack and when play resumed flanker Neil Evans saw red for a high tackle on Mankee with the try line in sight.

A penalty was all Camborne were awarded and from the ensuing attack the visitors defence held firm.

Camborne: M Westren, B Tyler-Guy, J Semmens, D Matthews, M Blee, D Mankee, T Peacock, M Hearn, T Southworth, J Drew (capt), A Zachorovas, A Riches, P Hinchley, J Rose, D Roberts. Reps J Nicholls, S Bartle, T Clark.

Scorers: try, Riches; pens, Mankee 3.

• Camborne face their toughest away trip of the season this weekend when they travel to Bristol to meet unbeaten league leaders Dings Crusaders.