REDRUTH 26pts Tries: Collins, Lea and Bonds Penalties: Hook 3 Conversions: Hook 2.

BLACKHEATH 14pts Try: Neale Penalties: Neale 3 Yellow Card: Alistair McKenzie Redruth: R Thirlby; M Lea S. Peters C Bonds (capt), P Teixeira, M Hook, M. Richards (S Brown 80), D Jacques,(D Job 78 )O Hambly, S Lutey, D Cook L Collins, N Pascoe (rep J Navin 63), J Mann & M Bright.

Blackheath: F Neale; T Foster (N Maurer 15), J Wheaton, R Binder, R Piotrowski, M Vaughan, J Simpson, A McKenzie, R Webber (A Natera 63), D Brett. M.Corker, A Vanner, J Kelland (rep (S Legg 53-63, N Dewale 69) D Allen (capt), K Asmeme.

Referee: Mr D. Sainsbury (RFU) REDRUTH'S eleventh victory of the season proved to be an important one as it lifted the Reds into fifth place in the league.

Redruth dominated large parts of the game but did not take their chances and this kept the result in doubt until near the end.

The game marked the return of Rob Thirlby to the red shirt who is currently on loan from Gloucester following an illustrious career that included a tour with England to South Africa in 2000 and spells at Saracens and Bath. Playing at full back Thirlby thrilled the crowd with his pacey runs but the Reds wasted a number of good chances..

Perhaps more importantly Redruth overturned a 55-16 defeat at the Rectory field last September, the lowest point of the season but the management team of Nigel Hambly, David Penberthy and Matt Stearn have changed things around in a big way since then.

Amongst a good sized and expectant crowd on a dark windy day, Ray Peters will have been pleased to see grandson Simon have his best game so far in a red shirt.

From a five metre scrum Mark Bright tested the visitors defence and Luke Collins - son of the club president Derek Collins - forced his way over for an unconverted try that opened the scoring in the fourth minute Minutes later Frankie Neale, at full back for the visitors, kicked a penalty goal to silence the partisan crowd for several minutes.

However, Reds togetherness was beginning to work, with a penalty goal kicked by Mike Hook countered in the seventh minute of injury time when Neale thumped over a penalty kick, for a 11 points to six scoreline at the interval.

James Mann, returning after a knee operation in his first game for six weeks, had a terrific match in the Reds backrow repeatedly making surging runs into the Blackheath defence.

Hook and Neale exchanged penalties in the opening six minutes of the second half. Blackheath had prop Alastair McKenzie on loan from Wasps yellow carded and a burst from Nathan Pascoe led to a try by Mark Lea that Hook converted.

With 12 minutes to go a poor clearance gave the talented Neale the chance to cross in the left hand corner for an unconverted try that left the score at 21-14 with all to play for.

The Reds quickly put the result beyond doubt when Mark Richards, who was playing a stormer, set up a chance for skipper Craig Bonds to go over in the old pavilion corner and Hook kicked the extra points.

Blackheath had a good backrow trio and skipper Dave Allen, certainly contributed. By now the home fans were sniffing at an 11th league win, but the bonus point eluded them as the Reds move into fifth spot ahead of the visitors and just a point behind Stourbridge.

Saturday sees Lydney, who had two spies watching the Blackheath game, visit the Recreation gGround in the fourth round of the EDF Trophy for what should be a lively game. Thirlby will not be playing as he is cup tied but Gidlow is available again after a one match suspension for picking up three yellow cards.

Kick off is 2 pm.