National Two South: Taunton edge further in front as Redruth and Canterbury lose unbeaten starts

Taunton maintained their 100 per cent start to the season with a comfortable victory, while Redruth and Canterbury both suffered their first defeats of the season.

Old Albainian and Bishop's Stortford both returned to winning ways while Cambridge, Worthing and the Old Elthamians continued their recent good form. Here is a round-up of all the action from week four in National Two South.

Taunton 41-6 Redingensians

Taunton continued their solid start to the season as they remain top of National Two South thanks to this win over the Redingensians.

Taunton have picked up four-bonus point victories so far this season and are firmly on course to challenge for a place in National One next campaign.

Tries from Jack Claydon, Eoghan Grace, a double from Samuel Prior, Jake Woolmore and Lewis Webb ensured the win over the Rams who had very little attacking joy all afternoon.

The hosts led 17-6 at the break with the Redingensians’ points coming from William Hopkins – who also missed two from the tee in the first period.

But the home side continued to go through the gears in the second half scoring 24 unanswered points, bringing their tally for the season to 158 points.

The Rams’ afternoon was made difficult when Steven Bryant was shown a yellow card midway through the first half and they finished the match with 14 men when substitute William Morrison was sent to the bin late on.

The Redingensians are still yet to pick up a point this campaign since being promoted.

Old Albanian 46-11 Bury St Edmunds

After drawing with Southend last week, the Old Albanian returned to winning ways in style as they saw off Bury St Edmunds at the Woolams Sports facility.

The hosts ran in eight tries with fly-half Max Malins crossing twice and converting three of the scores.

There were also tries for flanker Oliver Mills-Cooper, scrum-half Jordi Herrera-Pasqualin and right wing Mike Allan in the first half with William Johnson, Joshua Taylor and Morgan Thompson all crossing in the second period.

Bury’s response came from the boot of Oliver Snook,  who had given the visitors and early 3-6 lead, and a second half try from Clement Le Roy.

The OA’s now move second with this win whereas Bury are 12^th after this sobering defeat.

Chinnor 20-36 Bishop’s Stortford

Bishop’s Stortford went third in the table after this victory over Chinnor.

Andy Long’s men bounced back from their loss to Dorking last week after a blistering first half performance on Saturday.

Tries from Stephen Ball, Richard Gill and Nicholas Hankin as well as a Penalty Try gave them a 3-24 lead at the interval with Chinnor’s sole points coming from the boot of Jonathon Hopkin.

Johnathan Neville got try number five for Stortford just after half-time, but Chinnor responded with tries from Tom Burns and Michael Owen.

Wilson Baxter crossed for the away side before Grieg Goodfellow added Chinnor’s third try to the board right at the death.

Chinnor remain winless this season after finishing sixth last campaign.

Redruth 25-27 Cambridge

Cambridge continued their rise up National Two North as they ended Redruth’s 100 per cent start to the season with a win at The Recreation Ground.

Redruth began in sparkling fashion as No.8 Kyle Marriott crossed after just four minutes. Fly-half Ashley Hosking made amends for missing the conversion as he slotted over a penalty shortly after.

James Stokes missed two penalty opportunities for the away side, but it was third time lucky as he reduced the deficit to five points before Brett Daynes crossed to give Cambridge a 8-10 lead on 26 minutes.

Redruth were then shown two yellow cards as Richard Brown and Matthew Boden were both sent to the bin in the space of six minutes and Cambridge took advantage of their two extra players when Lawrence Hutchinson went over on the stroke of half-time giving them a 8-15 lead.

Hosking was then yellow carded and Redruth began the second period with just 12 men on the pitch.

However, that didn’t deter them as Ben Priddley scored a pick and go try to level the scores on 44 minutes.

Jack Green then took advantage of some poor defending by The Reds to go in near the posts and Stokes added the easy extras.

Cambridge’s full-back then scored an excellent try to secure the bonus point as he turned over the ball on his 22 to run in the score and give the Blood and Sand a healthy 27-15 lead.

Stokes was then sent to the sin-bin along with flanker Ben Adams which allowed the hosts to score two injury time tries with Bowden getting them both.

Clifton 32-24 Barnes

Scrum-half Michael Uren scored a late brace to seal victory for Clifton at Station Road after defeat to the Old Elthamians last week.

The home side led 18-10 at half-time thanks to tries from Callum Roberts and Dan Wheeler with James MacKay slotting over two penalties.

Barnes’ points came from an early kick by Tom O’Toole and a try from James Greenwood, but they were down to 14 men when Rupert Crossland was yellow carded on 21 minutes.

The newly promoted side – who have performed very well this season without getting the results- reduced the deficit to just a point when Greenwood went over again just on 51 minutes.

Uren was yellow carded just after that try, but the visitors couldn’t take advantage of the extra man as Matthew Steele was sent to the bin for Barnes.

Instead, Uren scored two well taken tries as the Bristol dual-registered halfback was at the heart of everything Clifton did in the final quarter of this match. He secured the bonus point, but Barnes hit back with replacement Charlie Gordon grabbing a late try.

Canterbury 25-29 Southend

Canterbury’s winning start to the season came to end on Saturday as they squandered a winning position in the final 17 minutes against Southend.

After leading 25-19, tries from Iain Meads and Dylan Day-White sealed victory for Southend, who are now ninth in the table after two good recent results.

Canterbury were behind just before the half hour mark as tries from Harry Hudson and Jack Daly had given the Saxons and early lead, but an Oliver Best penalty and scores from James Green and Guy Hilton saw the hosts go in at the break with a 17-12 advantage.

Mason Rosvall added the City Men’s third try of the day 10 minutes after half-time, but when Oliver Best was yellow carded, Southend found a way back into this game.

Christopher Vaughan crashed over for the Saxons to make it 22-19, but when Tom Best pinged over a penalty for Canterbury, they looked as if they were back in control.

However, Southend scented indecision and Meads and Day-White snatched the victory and completed the comeback for their side.

Worthing 46-10 Launceston

Worthing made it three wins in a row with an efficient victory over Launceston; who are still without a point to their name this season.

The hosts scored three first half tries, before adding four in the second half. The highlight for Launceston was a well worked try from Ryan Western just before the break.

Alex Wilcockson touched down a hat-trick for the home side, with Sam Aspland-Robinson, Thomas Margetson and Sean O’Hagan also going over after Raiders’ opening try was a penalty try.

Worthing are now eighth in the table and are building momentum with every victory as they look to mount a promotion challenge.

Old Elthamians 24-17 Dorking

After beating Bishop’s Stortford last week, Dorking suffered their third defeat in four as they lost away to the Old Elthamians who made it back to back home wins for the first time since March.

Despite Dorking leading thanks to Penalty Try and having a man advantage due to the OE’s James Cullen being shown a yellow card, the away side found themselves level at 10-10 at the break.

Luke White added a penalty to their try while the OE’s points came from a try via Jonathon Williams and five points from the boot of Thomas White.

The home side then took the lead with a converted try scored by Williams again, but Dorking tied the scores up once more when Charlie Stevenson crossed on 47 minutes even though Oliver Edwards was in the sin-bin for the visitors.

But a third try for the OE’s on 55 minutes was enough to take the points as Gavin O’Meara went over to claim their first win in their seven attempts over Dorking.