Honiton 34, Falmouth 31

To stay safe in the league the old adage is win your home games and pinch a few away, on Saturday Falmouth did all the hard work in building a 31 - 19 lead, away at Honiton and then threw it all away in the final ten minutes.

It was indiscipline that did for the Eagles as 3 players were shown yellow cards in the final period, prop Brad Cock taking 'one for the team' as a result of Falmouth conceding too many penalties and Simon Bailey and AJ Geach back chatting a referee who was in no mood to open a debate on his decision making.

All this would be to down play the effort that a Honiton side, flirting with relegation, threw into the match. Despite the Eagles frailties they still had to win the match and scored 34 points, holding their nerve to score the winning try in the last moments of the match.

The first half was a breathless affair with both sides scoring three tries apiece, Justyn Irons opening the scoring with a penalty, Honiton bounced back with a well worked try scored out wide by wing Will Tyres before the Eagles replied through an old favourite, the catch and drive, touched down by Brad Cock.

Honiton fly half Thompson scored and converted the next try before skipper and number 10, Irons matched the effort, with his own try and conversion.

The topsy turvy nature of the half continued as the Lacemen responded with a score from Callum Hill before Falmouth's Nick Carne intercepted a pass and raced 60 metres to score, Irons converting to give the Eagles a 22 - 19 half time lead.

Falmouth, who's league position indicated they should have been the better team, took control of the second period. Honiton's influential number 8, Josh Rice was sin binned and Justyn Irons slotted 3 penalties as the Eagles consolidated their advantage.

The match looked over, the Eagles had control and were 2 scores clear but then pressed the self destruct button, from an attacking scrum, the Eagles were penalised and the questioning of the referee began. First marched back 30 metres, losing the territorIal advantage and then players as penalties flowed and the yellow cards mounted.

Honiton swooped, Captain Price scoring a try, Thompson then securing a penalty to put the hosts within a score before Rice, back on the field, broke through the Falmouth defence after collecting the ball from a scrappy line out, converted by Thompson this really was 'the one that got away'.

This week Falmouth are at home against local rivals Hayle, who need a win to stave off a relegation threat. Eagles legend Steve Lightfoot is hosting a reunion of all ex Falmouth players, anyone who has donned the black and white is invited for an afternoon and evening which will invariably involve reminiscing, singing and a beer or two.