PENRYN failed to build on last week’s first victory of the season as they fell to another defeat on the road at the hands of Torquay, writes Ross Hancock.

The Devon club were actually the victims of Penryn’s last away success last year, but there was to be no repeat this time round as a bad ten minute spell in the first half ultimately cost the visitors.

So often last season, Borough were slow to start in games, but that is one area that has improved this season as they again came out of the blocks well.

The home side may have notched an early penalty but it was Penryn who drew first blood.

A lovely show and go from stand in fly-half Nathan Strick split the home defence and he dotted down, converting his own try for Penryn to lead 7-3.

The game swung on an opportunity for Penryn to extend their lead.

Strick’s penalty was wide and as Torquay cleared to touch from a penalty, they drove over for a converted score, the lead and a big momentum shift.

It would be a particularly bad spell for Borough as small errors proved very costly.

A dropped high ball and a couple of missed tackles led to two converted tries in two minutes before Torquay crafted a fine score for themselves to secure a ten minute bonus point and incredibly lead 31-7, having trailed 7-3.

Penryn did fight back and as they have had for much of the early part of the season, joy was found in the shape of the driving maul.

Camped on the visiting line, Borough pulled one back before the break through Jordan Rose with Strick failing to get on target on this occasion.

The second half was a much quieter affair, but Penryn would have been the happier of the two in the early stages as they knocked over a penalty to close the gap.

Torquay hit back with one of their own, but it was much better from the visitors as the hosts were piling on the pressure to try and get themselves out of site, but Penryn defended manfully.

Unfortunately though the pressure told and Athletic did cross again for another converted try which finally took the game away from Penryn.

There was still time for another Borough response, which yielded arguably the try of the day.

Some excellent link up play from the forwards saw Rose just short of a second try, but flanker Adam Hughes was on hand to dot down with Strick converting.

Although there was still time for Penryn to grab a fourth score and take a point back to Cornwall, it was not to be on what was a disappointing day in Devon.

Penryn travel to Wadebridge next week in Western Counties West.

PENRYN: 15 Creeden, 14 Chambers (c), 13 Vague, 12 Seviour, 11 Salisbury, 10 N Strick, 9 Hellier; 1 Oldfield, 2 Booth, 3 Burley, 4 Heazelton, 5 Trevaskis, 6 Rainbird, 7 Hughes, 8 Rose.

REPS: Tedstone, Hancock, M Strick.

TRIES: N Strick, Rose, Hughes.

CONS: N Strick 2/3.

PEN: N Strick.