Camborne conquer Devonport to finish unbeaten home league campaign

Camborne completed an unbeaten home National Two West campaign with a 13th successive victory at the Recreation Ground, going past 1,000 points for the season in the process. With the first use of the slope, the visitors took an early lead courtesy of a well-converted try before the Cherry & Whites levelled with Ben Priddey driven over for Sam Walker to add the extras. Still, inside the opening quarter, full-back Harry Larkins wrestled free in midfield before setting off on a 30-metre run to the posts for fly-half Walker to convert.

On 29 minutes, Devonport tied the scores with a converted touchdown after a quickly taken penalty and matters stayed that way until the break. Early in the second half, Services took the lead with a soft try which was again converted but thereafter ‘Town’ went up a gear coming down the slope to rack up five tries in style. Firstly, hooker Priddey bagged a second catch and drive a touchdown to cut the deficit as the home side began to turn the screw.



On the hour, Walker ran back a wayward clearance kick before chipping to the right wing where Priddey popped up to gather the ball and plunge over in the scoreboard corner. Camborne forward power then saw Jordan Nicholls barge over near the posts with Walker’s regulation conversion making the score 31-21. The Cherry & Whites were now at full tilt, and a break by flanker Nicholls on 73 minutes sparked a bout of handling that ended with Alex Ducker finding Priddey on the left flank, and the all-action hooker dived over in front of the West Bank.

Remarkably, this was Priddey’s fourth touchdown of the afternoon and his 43rd of the season, leaving him one short of Ducker’s club record with the trip to Macclesfield to come. Sam Walker struck a majestic touchline conversion before the home side returned to the attack late on with the tireless Nicholls again breaking the cover to feed Finn Love. The young centre went desperately close to scoring before replacement Will Tanswell followed up dotted down.

On the final whistle, the spirited visitors gained a bonus point with a lastgasp consolation try after a period of late pressure. Camborne: H Larkins, J Davis, A Veimosoi, W Hennessy, A Ducker, S Walker, CJ Boyce, T Southworth, B Priddey, J Drew, A Hughes, J Andrew, J Rose, J Nicholls, A Brassington (reps) S Rodman, J Heazelton, K Griffiths, W Tanswell, F Love Camborne: tries; Priddey 4, Larkins, Nicholls, Tanswell cons; Walker 4.