Roseland 18 – Camborne School of Mines 27
On Saturday Roseland welcomed Camborne School of Mines to Philleigh for the opening fixture of the 2018-19 Tribute Cornwall One season.
With yet another reshuffling of the league structure all rugby until now had been cup or friendlies so it was time to lay a marker for the season.
From the kick off Roseland appeared prepared to take the game to CSM as no8 Nathan Chapman made a lung bursting 50m run straight from receiving the kick off.
The first half was a fairly even affair with both packs equalling each other out and the CSM backs probably just edging Roseland. CSM scored a couple of tries via Roseland mistakes, one from a failed clearance kick and the other was a near length of the field attempt as Roseland spilt the ball deep in the CSM 22 and after the CSM winger fly hacked the ball down the field he won the foot race to touch the ball down for a try.
Roseland kicked a penalty goal from fly half Tom Day, who also missed an attempt on the stroke of half time and the half time score was 17-3 to CSM.
The second half was as entertaining as the first. CSM spent two 10 minute periods with a player in the bin and although Roseland did capitalise they didn’t fully exploit the difference.
CSM grabbed a couple of well worked tries out wide that went unconverted.
Roseland scored 3 well worked tries via Ed Llewellyn, Joe Hitchens and Matt Riorden. Day missed 2 conversions and after Riorden’ try with time running out Chapman attempted a quick drop goal conversion but only succeeded in knocking a CSM players gum shield out of his hand. After that the referee also blew for full time and the final score was 27-18 and Roseland had missed out on a losing bonus point.
Roseland travel to Helston on Saturday for their second fixture of the league. This is the last of the 3pm Kick Offs.