Lanner 10, Falmouth 34

Falmouth began the New Year with a bonus point victory against local rivals Lanner in a hotly contested derby at St Day. Lanner, who have beaten both Penryn and Saltash at home this season, delivered as promised, a real test of the Eagles credentials as league leaders.

The Eagles were confident that if they played their natural game the result should be favourable and early nerves for the visitors were settled after five minutes through a neat move, off a line of blind side wing Nick Carne, joined the line making an overlap, David Jones putting Dan Hubble clear to continue his rich vein of try scoring, Justyn Irons converting.

The match was unable to settle as the referee chose to penalise the breakdown area after almost every tackle, so there were a stream of penalties, drawing criticism from the crowd.

Irons took a kicking opportunity for a 10 point lead to Falmouth before missing a further chance to extend the advantage before Nick Prout opened the account for the hosts.

Lanner then received a double blow, Irons stepped past Dean Symons who left a leg trailing, receiving a yellow card, shortly after Dan Trevena was handed another yellow as Lanner threatened to lose their composure and throw away the game.

Just as Falmouth looked to capitalise on the two-man advantage, lock Trev Ward, made an obvious late tackle and the referee sin binned him.

Penalties continued to flow and Falmouth kicked for an attacking line out, the ball secured, Ashley Searle prepared to shift the ball for the drive but sensing no defenders on him neatly pirouetted and dived across the whitewash.

The half was completed through a Falmouth counter attack from a missed touch line clearance, Tom Edmonds finding Dan Hubble sprinting up the slope towards the corner leaving three defenders in his wake, to score his second on the stroke of half time Irons converting.

Lanner, significantly in arrears, had to start the second period strongly to have any chance of coming back into the game and played accordingly, increasing their physicality and speed of attack.

Fly half Kessell, adopting a flat position and bringing attackers running onto the ball, the Eagles were forced to switch to defensive mode and kept the hosts out through strong tackling and illegal play, leading to more penalties and the occasional flare up between the two teams.

After 15 dominant minutes the pressure gained a result as following a series of drives close to the line, former Falmouth player Adam Harris dived towards the line and was awarded the score, Prout converting.

Falmouth, bizarrely, benefited from the score, finally able to escape from a literally tight corner, they were able to enjoy some territory and possession in the Lanner half and looked to have scored themselves through Carne, but he was adjudged to have knocked on.

Advantage in the scrum helped the Eagles reassert some control, AJ Geach taking a couple against the head on his return from injury.

The crucial bonus point was secured in the last five minutes, a break midfield by Seviour was followed by a chip kick and mass sprint for the ball, which having settled over the try line, was adjudged to have been touched down by Ben Ackner, Irons converting.

With Paignton failing to gain a bonus point and Saltash losing, the result puts Falmouth a point further ahead at the top of the Cornwall and Devon league.

Next Saturday there is a mouthwatering clash at the Recreation Ground when Paignton, who are breathing down the Eagles neck in the title race, are the visitors, kick off 2.30pm.

Falmouth: Searle, AJ Geach, Cock, Ward, Baglow, Brewer, Simmons, Tonkins, Spiller, Irons, Carne, Ackner, Jones, Hubble, Edmonds. Reps: Seviour, Bullock, Varker.