Worthing 27 Redruth 25
Events, Headlines, Match Reports / Saturday 3 September 2011
Report by Ed Bawden
A heartbreaking display saw the Reds go down by just a couple of points on their first ever visit to Angmering in West Sussex.
Two minutes from time Matthew Shepherd, who had a tremendous debut at scrum half, had a chance to win the game with a difficult penalty kick to the right of the posts but his kick drifted across the uprights.
In truth, a more dynamic Worthing team looked like they wanted victory more than the Reds in a stop-start game of 24 penalties.
Full back Matt McLean opened the scoring with a penalty in front of the posts when the Cornishmen were penalised at the first scrum.
With Aaron Penberthy kicking for position well Redruth, with their front row dominating the scrums, had the better of the opening 20 minutes, Tom Duncan going over for a try following a massive surge by the Reds pack in the 8th minute.
Five minutes later another strong drive by the Reds’ forwards saw Owen Hambly go over for an unconverted try wide out on the right.
Following a good break by Shepherd who looked at home at this level, Penbethy kicked a 40 metre penalty to give the Reds a well deserved 10 point lead after 20 minutes.
Redruth then lost momentum when Shepherd was off the field having some stitches for a cut, and with locks Will Stuchbury and Charlie McGowan going well Worthing came back into the game. A break from inside his own half by big centre Kiba Richards saw replacement Sam Hewick dive over under the posts following great support play for McLean to convert after 27 minutes.
McLean levelled the score at 13 each after half an hour before he and Penberthy exchanged further penalties as the first half drew nearer to its conclusion.
In what proved to be the decisive score man of the match Rob Smith went over in the left hand corner for a well worked unconverted try with the Referee playing advantage to give Worthing a 21-16 advantage at the break.
Penberthy pulled back a penalty 4 minutes into the second period but McLean restored the five point advantage as Redruth lost Tom Duncan to the sin bin for not rolling away after a tackle with half an hour to go.
A great break by Penberthy took play into the home 22, unfortunately he took a knock and hobbled off but Shepherd showed cool nerves to put over a penalty from just to the left of the posts to narrow the gap to two points with 13 minutes remaining.
Play went from end to end, and some good play initiated from Dean Bonds won the Reds a penalty in the closing minutes but it was too difficult to win the game, much to the delight of the home fans.
WORTHING
Tries: Hewick, Smith
Pen: McLean 5
M McLean; A Neilson, K Richards, D Clayton, J Maslen; B Dudley, J Gorvett (J Matters 76 Min); M Pointing (J Burns 15 Min), M Miles (Capt), P Webster (P Cleveland 52 Min), W Stuchbury, C McGowan, J Arthur (S Hewick 21 Min), J Redmayne, R Smith
Rep not used R Briggs
REDRUTH
Tries: Duncan, Hambly
Pen: Penberthy 4, Shepherd
B Rule; L Vinnicombe (N Pedley 14 Min), C Bonds (Capt), S Parsons, T Notman; A Penberthy (D Bonds 60 Min), M Shepherd (D Bonds 19-30 Min); D Jacques (C Williams 63 Min), R Brown (D Semmens 49 Min), P Joyce, D Cook, L Collins, C Fuca (C Bailey 57 Min), O Hambly, T Duncan
Ref Richard Phillips (RFU)
