A visit from Launceston today, they lie eighth in the league whilst we are on top of it.
A cloudless and rain-free afternoon but with a low sun right in the eyes of the team playing towards the entrance, which turned out to be Launceston.

Fortunately, the team did not think it was going to be easy and they started the game with a bang.
We started with a Sam Brown penalty inside the first few minutes to make it 3~0.
Then on seven minutes they scored a try, which was not in our script, from the restart we attacked them but they managed to turn the ball over and counter attacked just inside their half their No12, Camron Fogden, was running at us, made and sold a super dummy and shot through the resulting gap, part way across the twenty-two he was stopped but was able to pass it to their No 8, Brandon Rowley, who was on the right wing who went in near the turnstile corner to take the lead, the conversion attempt was difficult because it was right in to the low sun so I am surprised he could even see the posts, but the result was a miss. 3~5 on eight minutes.

The first scrum and we pushed them slightly, but the second one, in their half, and we completely destroyed them. We came off the back and Sam Brown went in to score under the crossbar, a simple conversion by him and we were 10~5 up.
From the restart, they won a penalty and kicked for the points, which they got. 10~8.
On eighteen minutes our second try, this time from James Hocking, who, as the game went on, worked tirelessly all afternoon.
Then a spell of quick tries that probably did for Launceston in final result terms, but not to their spirit. We won a lineout in their twenty-two on the club side, Bertie Fordham made a phenomenal catch reaching well over their jumpers. We attacked but lost the ball then regained it and won a lineout on the stand side, from that we attacked with James Hocking angling towards the scoreboard, with two players trying to stop him one around his legs, he was just able to get over the line to score. The Sam Brown conversion went over. 17~8 after twenty minutes.
Then we had a lineout just inside their twenty-two, we ran at them getting close in, good defending holding us off, eventually the carrier and ball went to ground in front of the posts, Oli Symonds was on hand and angled towards the scoreboard, crossing the line he tried to get in closer, “Touch it down, touch it down” came they cry, which he did.
The Sam Brown conversion went over. 24~8 on twenty-four minutes.
Four minutes later Harrison Coonick scored, they had a scum just in our half, they won it under a little pressure from our pack, off it went to the backs but at the end a slightly careless pass was intercepted by Harrison Coonick, with his speed and with him going one way and them going the other they had no chance of catching him and made little effort to do so. The score between the uprights was easily converted by Sam Brown. 31~8.
On thirty-one minutes, another try for us. We were attacking them, from the back of a ruck Richard Goldsby-West box kicked for field position, but as happens more often than not, they caught it and ran back at us, we turned them over and a quick pass by Richard Goldsby-West to Tom Richards caught them on the hop and he sped off towards the posts for a long run before a couple more passes ended with Billy Orchard who scored despited the attentions of two defenders. The conversion missed. 36~8.
Then on thirty eight minutes we had a lineout five yards out, won it and mauled for the line, the maul was well together but the Launceston pack kept forcing it to change direction, eventually it broke up and they stole the ball and kicked for touch on halfway, the ball was touched in the air so they had the lineout, won it and mauled into our half,
we stole their ball and quickly put it down the line to end with Harrison Coonick who ran in to score, the Sam Brown conversion went over. So at half time we had a comfortable 43~8 lead.
With a scoreline like that and with our pack in charge, the prospect of a sixty or seventy-point win looked on the cards.

Launceston went in at the break and I suspect their coach gave them a strong few words; the consequence was they came out a changed team and really took the game to us.
For the first eight minutes, they had us really pushed back and a couple of times got close to our line forcing us to defend hard.
Eventually, we stole the ball and kicked clear. Then a lineout to us on the club side was won, and we attacked, James Hocking had a really storming run holding off at least two defenders to get close in, on being stopped, he gave it to Bertie Fordham, who finished off the move to score near the posts. The Sam Brown conversion went over. 50~ 8 after twelve minutes.
Then the inevitable but unexpected happened on fifteen minutes, Launceston scored a try. From a scrum ten yards out, they came off, and their No8, Brandon Rowley, went straight for the line. Sam Brown tried to stop him, he went down but didn’t touch down, got up and went another ten feet closer, then touched down when faced by Warren Weerakoon. The conversion went over. 50~15.
Then they scored again from another scrum near the posts. They drove forward, then a quick and long pass to the right wing for their man to dive in full length to score by the scoreboard. A good conversion went over. 50~22.
Then we stemmed the Launceston revival for a moment with a try, an odd try, but down to paying attention.
We won a penalty, went for a close lineout, their man did a spectacular leap in the air to tap the ball in to play, I think it would qualify as a knock on, but anyway, by the time he had landed Charlie Groves on the right wing was alert to the moment, picked it up and ran ten yards in to score. Sam Brown converting. 57~22.
With a few minutes to go, Launceston’s revival produced fruit with a try that earned them a bonus point.
They had continued to pressurise us; we had to defend, which we did well, and they did well to defend their line from us. then with couple of minutes to go they got to our line, attacked a few times and eventually replacement forward George Bone went for the line, Tyler Busfield did his best to stop him but his momentum took him across the line to score, the conversion was only about twelve feet wide of the posts, I fully expected it to go over but unexpectedly it missed and not long after that the final whistle from referee Chris Hoadley, who I thought had a good game.
Dan Lilly was presented with the Nigel Chivell Memorial Man of the Match award by the Launceston President.
A good first half by us, Sam Brown kicked really well and scored a try, James Hocking was everywhere, and good to see Josh Martin, up from the seconds, in his second game for the firsts, doing his bit.
They won the second half by three tries to two, a good effort as I remarked to their Chairman, Andy Crichton, afterwards.
We remain top of the table.

1. Tyler Busfield. P.I.M. Financial Services.
2. James McFarlane. Armada social work services
3. Oli Symons. Greenlight Safety and Training
4. Kyle Felton. Plym Pat Testing
5. Matt Gregory (c). HSK Building Services.
6. Liam Jarvis. Steel Brew.
7. Bertie Fordham. Accurocare, lifestyle choices.
8. James Hocking. Redmoor snacks.
9. Richard Goldsby-West. (c). Smashland Burgers.
10. Sam Brown. Eden Clinic.
11. Harrison Coonick. Ashwood Trees Ltd
12. Dan Lilley. We remember submariners.
13. Tom Richards. Buddha Utilities.
14. Charlie Groves. Journeaux accountancy
15. Billy Orchard. Parrot plumbing and heating
16. Josh Martin. JML Bricklaying.
17. Warren Weerakoon.TJ convenience stores.
18. Matt Nyle. Cherry plumbing and heating.

The Management.
Ben Russell.
Aiden Taylor