National Two South - Round One Review

The new National Two South season got off to a flyer as some of the promotion favourites sent out clear message that they mean business this campaign. Here is a round-up of all the action from the opening day.

Redingensens 16-37 Redruth 

Redruth's new captain Damien Cook led his side to a six try victory over National Two South newcomers; The Redingensens, as they took five points from Old Bath Road. 

After a long journey north, Redruth made the quicker start as Ashley Hosking scored early on, but a yellow card shown to debutant Bradley Janes allowed the Rams to take advantage as replacement winger Ruben Norville went over on 25 minutes. 

The home side, who had not lost on their own patch for 26 matches before this game, then went ahead as Guy Swadling kicked a monstrous penalty. 

Redruth regained the lead seven minutes from the break as Tom Cowen-Dickie scored before Swadling and Hosking exchanged penalties to give the Reds the lead at half-time. 

The Redingensens were reduced to 14 when flanker Craig Nightingale killed the ball early in the second half and Ben Priddey went over for Redruth shortly after. 

The visitors then got a firm grasp on the game as Cowan-Dickie crossed for his second before Alex Ducker scored a scintillating try in the corner.  

Cornwell captain Kyle Marriott rounded off a fine second half display as he crossed for the Reds' sixth try with 15 minutes to go. 

Clifton 31-18 Worthing 

Worthing's promotion challenge didn't start the way they would've liked as they lost away to Clifton.  

The away side opened the scoring after a penalty advantage as Matt McLean slotted over, before James Mackay levelled the scores on seven minutes. 

McLean and Mackay once again exchanged penalties to make it 6 apiece before Worthing scored the first try of the afternoon as hooker Elliot Luke went over for a converted try. 

But once again, Clifton had a response as winger Callum Roberts scored in the corner, but Worthing were still ahead as Mackay's conversion hit the post.

McLean then scored the final points of the half as he touched down in the corner to make it 14-18 at the break.

Clifton began the second-half on the front foot and when Mackay kicked another penalty, it opened the floodgates for the hosts. 

At first, it didn't look that way as they received two yellow cards and despite Worthing pilling the pressure on the Clifton defence, they held firm. 

Worthing were then a man light as Loewy Simmons was yellow carded for not retreating for 10 yards which resulted in  Mackay kicking a penalty for 17-18.

Clifton then turned the screw and scored a converted try after 68 minutes before another sweeping attack allowed Roberts to get his second and secure victory for the hosts.

Southend 40-24 Chinnor

After staying in this division on games won last season, this was a perfect start for Southend. 

It wasn't all plain sailing for the Saxons as they were on the back foot early on when prop Aston Bevons-Royston was yellow carded. 

Chinnor kept hammering on the door and were eventually awarded a penalty try which was converted by Mark Davies. 

Brad Burr then led the Southend response as he sunk a penalty kick and then two minutes later he scored under the posts to give his side a 10-7 lead. 

However, their lead was short lived as Chinnor prop Andrew Berry bundled his way over for 10-14, but Southend hit back with a superb try by Ian Meads and from their, the Saxons didn't look back.

Burr once again slotted over a penalty after Robert Martey was yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on after 39 minutes.

With the score at 20-14, the hosts pushed on as Meads scored his second try which was swiftly followed by a Sam Fombo try.

Chinnor lock Tom Burns reduced the difference just after the hour to 32-19, but Burr extended it again with another successful penalty kick 4 minutes later. 

The Saxons continued to rub salt into the Chinnor wounds as Sonny Gray crashed his way over for 42-19, but the visitors had the last say in the game as Alaifatu Fatialofa scored.

Taunton 47-16 Old Elthamians 

Early promotion favourites Taunton got off to an excellent start with a commanding win over the OE's.

It was the visitors who opened the scoring through fly-half Tom White after the Titans gave a way a penalty. 

White added another penalty to the board after Taunton gifted possession away far too easily, but the hosts drew level via the boot of Gary Kingdom to tie the scores at 6-6.

The two kickers added another penalty each to their totals before the first try of the day was eventually scored by Taunton's Matthew Tichias with Kingdom adding the extras.

With the score at 16-9 heading into the second half, the Titans started to go through the gears.

Flanker Eoghan Grace went over for a try on his debut and this was followed by a brace from Jack Claydon.

Fellow winger Aron Struminski joined the party and with Kingdom adding two conversions, the Titans had all of sudden opened up a 40-9 lead in a 15 minute spell.

Claydon was threatening to score his hat-trick and did just that after ripping the ball and racing to the line to score.

The last try of the day came from the OE's when winger Craig Dowsett crossed the whitewash on 74 minutes.

Launceston 3-47 Old Albanian

After relegation from National One, Old Albanian produced a commanding second half to display to send out a message to the rest of the division that they want to bounce straight back to the third tier of English rugby.

Despite dominating possession, a number of handling errors from the visitors led to early penalties, but they were still first on the score-sheet as Ross Hamilton barged over form ten meters out.

Mike Allan was next to score after huge pressure from the OA's, but Launceston clawed their way back into the game thanks to a sweetly struck penalty from fly-half Fraser Honey. 

Into the second half and the OA's continued to look rusty and were up against it before powerful work from captain Billy Johnson set up the platform for Jordi Pasqualin to score and relief some pressure on the OA's defence.

Allan then grabbed his second from the restart before Chris May got just reward for his fine performance as he crossed.

Sam Lunnon and Jamie Hearn went over for a rampant OA's side as they wrapped up a 3-47 win.

Bury St Edmunds 22-41 Bishop's Stortford

Like Old Albanian and Taunton, Bishop's Stortford will have hopes of promoiton after the heartbreak of the play-offs last year and began this season with a fine victory. 

Their experience and edge in fitness seemed to be the key differences against the newly promoted Bury St Edmunds.  

The away side got off to a flyer as Harry Marner scored an excellent try after three minutes. Stortford then couldn't capitalise on this and were made to pay as Bury levelled on 20 minutes thanks to an impressive try from Matt Hema. 

Hema's teammate - John Hall - was then yellow carded for collapsing a maul and Stortford retook the lead with the man advantage through Richard Gill. 

Bury responded with a penalty, but Stortford got try number three of the afternoon as Sam Winter rounded off a fine move to make it 10-21 at the break. 

The hosts were quicker out of the blocks at the start of the second 40 minutes and could have had an early try. Instead they were we made to wait and it eventually game on 49 minutes as Tim Mann scored. 

Bury continued to apply pressure on Stortford and even though Michael Gallacher knocked over a penalty for Stortford, the home side reduced their deficit to two points as Sean Stapleton touched down out wide. 

Stortford then seemed to get their act together as Gallagher seized on a loose ball close to the home try line to score. 

Oliver Snook was then yellow carded for Bury and Bishop took advantage. They scored briefly after through Nick Hankin before a penalty try completed a good afternoon's work for the travelling side. 

Dorking 14-32 Cambridge 

Dorking's miserable 2015 continued with a defeat to Cambridge who picked up a bonus point win which is sure to whet the appetite of their supporters. 

Dorking will be gunning for promotion this season, but Cambridge were the better side all afternoon in this clash.

Mike Ayrton opened the scoring for Cambridge, but Cameron Pimlow's clever chip and take levelled the scores.

Dan Seal and a penalty from James Stokes gave the visitors a well-deserved 17-7 lead at half-time.

Minutes into the second half, a break from Albert Portsmouth was finished by Gerhard Wessels, before Matt Betty got on the end of a flowing Dorking move to reduce the score to 10 points. 

Ill-discipline then crept into the game as Ben Adams and George Bretag-Norris were sin-binned for Cambridge. Shortly after, Arnaud Roux was yellow carded for Dorking and Stokes kicked a penalty to make it 27-14.

And with 10 minutes remaining, Portsmouth was allowed to get across the line to seal the win and a bonus point for Cambridge.

Barnes 9-10 Canterbury

Canterbury had to dig deep against National Three play-off winners Barnes to secure an opening day victory for new Head Coach Nicky Little.

A Tom Best penalty two minutes from time was enough for his side to take four points from South West London.

With this contest scoreless at the break due to a disjointed first half, it was James Coles who kicked the first points of the season for the hosts but Canterbury found a quick response.

Sean Nixon, one of six debutantes in the Canterbury squad, made an immediate impact as he spotted a gap and found Mason Rosvall who touched down.

Canterbury then enjoyed a large period of territory put failed to do anything with it as Coles made it 6-7 just before the hour.

The pendulum looked to have swung in Barnes' favour when Canterbury Number 8 Max Cantwell was yellow carded for a late tackle.

However, it was their turn to pass up an opportunity as Coles missed a penalty, but then redeemed himself as he slotted over one with ten minutes remaining. 

The city men had it all to do, but from 38 meters out, with 180 seconds to go, Best kept his cool to win the game for Canterbury.