PENRYN 20pts

Tries: Peter Webster, Chris Mann.

Conversations: Ian Morgan, 2 Penalty goals: Ian Morgan, 2

BRIXHAM 23pts

Tries: C Dorling, M Dempsey, A Chadwick

Conversations: M Dempsey

Penalty goals: Matt Dempsey (2)

Penryn: Ian Morgan, Chris Mann (Josh Chambers, 70), Charlie Ross, Peter Webster, Kiniviliame Naivalulevu, Andrew Seviour, Dave Pascoe, Syd Savvas, Richard Burns, Richard Tresidder, Chris Cole, Toby Freeman, Justin Doney (Matt Tarby, 50), Chris Johnson (Ed Lawrence, 40), Steve Bucknall.

AFTER success at home the previous week against St mary's Old Boys, Penryn went in to another home game, this time against old rivals and friends from Brixham, with confidence.

Although the promotion chasing Fishermen found Penryn a completely different side to the one they defeated at Brixham earlier in the season, they still managed to pull off a win albeit by the narrow margin of three points in a total points score of 43.

Penryn were, perhaps, a trifle unlucky not to come away with the two points themselves, but sport is sport and that element of luck evaded them when the Fishermen scored a try in the last eight minutes to give them the lead for the first time in the match, and eventual victory.

It ceretainlydid not start like that. With a strong wind behind them the home side started with a bang, spending most of the first 40 minutes in the visitor's half, scoring 20 points to Brixham's three; but it was that single Brixham penalty goal, after 30 minutes, together with a disallowed Penryn try that probably cost them the match.

Fielding perhaps their strongest team since September, when the long period of injuries and availabilities started, and with a new enthusiasm, The Borough put Brixham on the rack and it looked as though the home side would notch up a lot of points.

After only two minutes Ian Morgan narrowly missed with a penalty goal attempt and before ten minutes had elapsed continuing Penryn pressure saw the forwards drive over the Brixham line, only for the referee to blow for a five-metre scrum microseconds after prop Syd Savvas grounded the ball.

Eventually the points started to appear on the board. After ten minutes referee David May awarded Penryn a penalty for holding on and Ian Morgan had no difficulty with the kick. The Borough continued their relentless pressure, and after 20 minutes were awarded another score when centre Peter Webster broke through the Brixham defence after Penryn's forwards had again dominated the play. Morgan's conversion gave the home side a ten-point lead, and the prospect that a momentous victory was on the cards.

A win became even more possible after Morgan added three more points from his second penalty, given when Brixham were penalised for going over the top, but after 30 minutes and very much against the run of play, Brixham full back Matt Dempsey converted a penalty.

Penryn continued to dominate and almost on half time Charlie Ross started a move, passed to right wing Chris Mann who evaded four tackles and ran from almost the half way line to score in such a position that the conversion was simple.

Penryn ended the half very much on top, and optimism ran high in the camp, but it did not quite turn out that way.

Penryn made a calculated change at half time when Ed Lawrence replaced Chris Johnson at flanker. The wind had increased, and three minutes into the second half Brixham lock Chris Dorling scored an unconverted try, followed in the 50th minute by a Matt Dempsey penalty goal. Seven minutes later he scored a try and converted this himself.

At this time Justin Doney had to come off, and was replaced by Matt Tarby, who took over as hooker, with Richard Burns moving to flanker. This together with Chris Mann's injury in the 70th minute led to some slight disruption in the game plan.

With only a two-point lead and Penryn desperately hanging on to that lead, the last quarter was tense to the extreme. They defended desperately, but after 72 minutes Brixham's right-wing Adam Chadwick broke out and scored a try in the corner. Dempsey failed with the conversation attempt, so with only a three-point lead they had to stop Penryn scoring.

This they did with some clever clearances to touch, and in spite of Borough's all-out pressure to win the game.

This was an excellent game played by two evenly matched sides, with the team with the wind at its back dominating. For Penryn, the two locks Chris Cole and Toby Freeman played well, and two excellent tries in the first half, one by Peter Webster and the other by Chris Mann, showed that Penryn are starting to get back to winning ways.

Peter Webster had a superb game at centre, whilst full marks must go to props Syd Savvas and Richard Tresidder for the way they scrummaged; they each had excellent games in the loose as well. Every Penryn player was totally committed and the side are to be congratulated on their tenacity and dedication.

The honours were shared evenly between forwards and backs, but a combination of very bad luck and more injuries probably cost The Borough the game.

Penryn have no game on Saturday, but on January 27 travel to Weston-super-Mare for a game against Hornets, who are one place above them in the league.