PENRYN suffered their first loss of the season against a well drilled and newly promoted Tiverton outfit.

In Penryn’s first away game of the campaign, they were blown away in the first period and despite a spirited second half comeback, the damage was already done.

Penryn went into the game high in confidence following maximum points from the opening two encounters, but Tiverton had also had a 100 per cent start and it was the home side who got off to a flier in this game.

Penryn’s pack power was evident early on again as the battle of the packs looked as if it would prove crucial throughout the afternoon following early exchanges in the set piece. Tiverton had started much the sharper of the two sides and were rewarded with an early try under the posts which was converted.

The Borough responded well and put together some good phases of their own before eventually being turned over and were dealt a big blow when from a good kick chase, the home back three turned over the isolated Penryn man and scored in the corner to make it 12-0.

The Borough could have got back on the board with a simple three but found themselves turned over again and after a rare loss of lineout ball, the home side snaffled possession and scored underneath the posts.

Half time couldn’t come quickly enough for Penryn, but unfortunately there was more woe to come. Tiverton added their bonus point try just before the interval to really emphasise their dominance in the first period. The conversion was good and Penryn had a mountain to climb at 26-0.

The first half misery was compounded by injuries to Gareth Tedstone and Andrew Seviour, which did however yield a debut for young back Jack Willey. Nathan Strick’s missed penalty was the final action in a forgettable first 40 for the Borough.

What looked like a 50 point drubbing in the making though, never materialised. The Borough are made of sterner stuff than that and came out fighting in the second half.

A ferocious start to the second period from the forwards, saw Grant Randlesome crash over for his third try in as many games, Strick converting. Tiverton knocked over a simple penalty goal in response, but it was all Borough pressure in the second half.

Penryn thought they had grounded the ball on two separate occasions, again from good strong work from the forward, but it was not to be as the score stayed at 29-7.

While the first half was a horror show of sorts, winning the second half 7-3 was a decent enough positive for Penryn to take on an otherwise difficult day.

Penryn: 15 Horton, 14 Chambers, 13 Evans, 12 Seviour, 11 Hughes, 10 C Hinchley, 9 Strick; 1 Oldfield, 2 Birkett, 3 Tedstone, 4 Hancock, 5 Hoban, 6 Jones (c), 7 P Hinchley, 8 Randlesome

Replacements: Pattison, Ashwin, Willey

Try: Randlesome

Conversion: Strick