PENRYN 10pts

OLD DUNSTONIANS 25pts

THE great days of the 1950s and 60s have all gone, when, in September and April, Cornwall was awash with touring sides. But Old Dunstonians do keep coming back, and on Good Friday Penryn welcomed their players, committee and supporters at the start of their 73rd tour of Cornwall, at The Memorial Ground.

It was a time for relaxation, for trials of those up and coming players who will graduate from the very successful colts side, and as expected several younger players were given a stretch on the pitch.

However, ODs were in no mood to allow the relaxed form of the day to extend to their play and they fielded their strongest team for the tour, including several players with experience of playing at higher levels. This did not deter Penryn who committed themselves wholeheartedly to the game.

The visitors opened the scoring with a goal after six minutes and followed this with a penalty goal ten minutes later. They went further ahead with a try on the half hour, but the home side now began to come in to their own with an excellent try by Ian Morgan after a chip ahead by centre Peter Webster, and that was the final score of the half.

Three minutes after the restart ODs went further ahead with a try, and this was followed, in the 55th minute, by their final score. This particular try was from an interception. The Borough had been pressing for some time, and started a threes move which could have reduced the arrears. Regrettably, as so often happens, a fast crafty gentleman from Kent, made the perfect interception, and ran 75 yards to score.

This was just at the time when Penryn were getting on top, and when they could have scored. A try then would have left only a ten-point difference, with all to play for. The Borough did reduce the arrears in the 78th minute with an excellent try scored by colt Tarron Peacock, playing his first game for the seniors, to make the final score 25-10 to ODs.

It was an interesting, often exciting game played in the real spirit of rugby union, and with an excellent social atmosphere in the clubhouse afterwards, when ODs were presented with the John Cobner Cup for this annual encounter.

Penryn: Ian Morgan, Will Paine (Paul Bannister), Chris Mann, Peter Webster (Tarron Peacock), Alan Richards (Charlie Ross), Andrew Seviour, Josh Chamber (John Holroyd), Syd Savvas, Richard Burns (Jordan Smith), Jason Stapleton (Richard Tresidder),Toby Freeman, Steve Uphill (Kevin Hughes), George Jones (Dan Laity), Chris Johnson, Steve Bucknall.