DESPITE being 17-3 down after 22 minutes Redruth fought back to claim an away win over Dings Crusaders, writes Ed Bawden.

Redruth head coach Steve Larkins praised his side for the way they came back from their first quarter deficit to defeat Dings.

They also had to play through four separate yellow cards with Richard Brown, Owen Hambly, John Stevens and Robin Wedlake all spending time on the naughty chair.

After the match, Larkins said: “Redruth do not come to Dings and win very often so to win was satisfying.

“Actually I thought we had a good start and should have scored a couple of tries but Dings put together a couple of really good passages of play to put us 17-3 down.

“It was a game I never felt we were going to lose with the wind and the hill in the second half I expected us to get back into it.

“Obviously four yellow cards did not help our cause for three of them I will have to have a chat with the Referee to understand why.

“Overall it is an away win and we have to move on to next week and we know we should be safe from relegation but we want a few more points to keep improving year on year.”

With Dings needing to win to avoid the certainty of relegation at the end of the season, they gave it all they had including former Scotland prop Dave Hilton now well into his 40s and a frantic final 15 minutes saw Redruth pick up three yellow cards.

But a 45m penalty by replacement Murray Westren a few minutes from time gave the Reds a crucial 9 point cushion in the final stages as the hosts piled on the pressure.

Redruth were hit when Greg Goodfellow dropped out with food poisoning on Saturday morning.

World Cup 7s winner Rhodri McAtee took his place, but he took a knock to the shoulder and was replaced by teenager Dan Rutter after 31 minutes with the reds 17-6 behind.

On a clear warm spring day Redruth were close to a score in the opening minute through strong running by Neilson Webber.

Pressure was rewarded with a penalty from in front of the posts by Ashley Hosking.

Dings controlled by Mark Woodrow gave Redruth plenty to think about with their crisp passing and running lines as first James Oakley in the left hand corner and later Simon Hunt scored good tries both converted by the left footed fly-half who also put over a penalty after Richard Brown was sent to the sin-bin for interfering in a quickly taken penalty.

The visitors responded with some good rugby and took the points on offer with two penalties from in front of the posts by Hosking to stay in touch.

On the stroke of half time, a powerful Redruth scrum opened up the defence for Kyle Marriott to go over for a try that Hosking into a strong wing did well to convert from wide out to leave the reds just a point behind at the interval.

At the start of the second period, good running from Webber and Marriott ended with a great support line from John Stevens that saw him role through a tackle to touchdown near the posts which Hosking converted.

Hosking hit the post with another penalty attempt before limping off, his replacement Westren came on and put over a penalty from the 10m line to give the reds a nine point advantage after 54 minutes.

Redruth had opportunities but could not add to their score and Dings were always ready to attack ball in hand.

Woodrow got his side into losing bonus point territory with a 35m penalty after Wedlake was yellow carded for a tip tackle with 13 minutes to go.

A long range penalty by Westren made the Reds second away win of the season safe before yellow cards to Hambly and Stevens in the closing stages for halting Dings attacks.

REDRUTH: 15 Hosking (Westren 52), 14 Wedlake, 13 Webber (Kessell 62), 12 Parsons (c), 11 Bowden (Southworth 21-24), 10 Rule, 9 McAtee (Rutter 31); 1 Phillips (Southworth 47), 2 Brown, 3 Williams, 4 Cook, 5 Prisk (Fuca 62), 6 Hambly, 7 Stevens, 8 Marriott.

TRIES: Marriott, Stevens.

CONS: Hosking 2/2.

PENS: Hosking (3), Westren (2).

SIN-BIN: Brown, Wedlake, Hambly, Stevens.