Reds turn up the heat to win the Inferno In Kernow

REDRUTH 46  CORNISH ALL BLACKS 24

Redruth took the honours in the first Cornish derby in National League 2 South this season at a sun-drenched Recreation Ground, reports Bill Hooper.

Dubbed the "Inferno in Kernow" in the pre-match billing, it was Redruth who were to prove to be the red hot team as they got off to a cracking start with three tries during the opening fifteen minutes leaving the men in black to play catch up rugby all afternoon.

Redruth played at a tempo and with a physicality that the All Blacks just couldn't match.

Centre Sam Parsons made the most of a quick tap penalty to cross after just five minutes before scrum-half Greg Goodfellow exploited a large hole in the All Blacks defence just moments later for the Reds second try.

The Red onslaught continued as lock Luke Collins reached over the line to dot down the first of his two tries.

Paul Thirlby added just one of the three conversions, but then went on to kick all his remaining goals.

The Cornish All Blacks got into the game as recent signing winger Luke Tidball made the most of some space to score in the Piggy lane corner, Kieron Lewitt adding a fine conversion.

Redruth continued to dominate with centre Romy Vassell catching the eye in the backs, whilst in the forwards man-of-the-match Darren Jacques got through a lot of work as did fellow prop Peter Joyce in his final game as a Redruth player before joining the Cornish Pirates.

Thirlby kept the scoreboard ticking over with a couple of penalties as the half hour marked approached.

A rare visit down towards Hellfire Corner saw the All Blacks come away with a second try as prop Tim Mathias barged over from a maul.

Thirlby with a third penalty made the half-time score 26-12 to the Reds.

For a way back into the game the Cornish All Blacks needed an early score in the second half. 

Instead it was the Reds who increased their advantage as winger Frazer Kellythorne made the most of more weak tackling to run in from forty meters in to the Piggy Lane corner for the bonus point try.  

Thirlby was again on cue with the conversion and two further penalties to stretch out further the Reds' advantage.

With the game now in the final quarter Redruth ran in a fifth try with Collins getting his second score following some great work and hard running by No.8 Tom Duncan and replacement flanker Neil Broadbank, Thirlby's conversion making the score 46-12.

To their credit the All Blacks showed strong character to score two further tries in the final ten minutes to travel back up the A.30 with a try-scoring bonus point thanks to scores from winger Richard Bright and replacement Mike Roach with Jake Murphy adding a final conversion.   

Redruth 46 pts

Tries – Parsons, Goodfellow, Collins (2), Kellythorne, Penalties – Thirlby (5), Conversions- Thirlby (3)

Cornish All Blacks 24 pts

Tries – Tidball, Mathias, Bright, Roach, Conversions – Lewitt, Murphy

Redruth: C Bonds, T Notman (L Vinnicombe 50), R Vassell, S Parsons, F Kellythorne, P Thirlby, G Goodfellow (T Peacock 64); D Jacques, R Brown (N Turner 70), P Joyce (C Williams 56), L Collins, D Cook, C Fuca (capt) (N Boradbank 53), O Hambly, T Duncan

Cornish All Blacks: K Lewitt (R Friend 50), R Bright, L Paterson, S Chapman, L Tidball, J Murphy, N Webber; T Mathias (A Meredith 71), T Hurdwell, N Bayliss (M Roach 66), J Tripcony, B J Chapman, M Rawlings, T Rawlings (capt) (L Duke 77), J Lord (M Bolwell 66)

Referee: Nick Williams (RFU) 

Crowd:1,140

Redruth-man-of-the-match: Darren Jacques