A SPIRITED performance from Redruth was not enough to stop relegation threatened Lydney from winning by four tries to three in a stop start game where the result was in doubt until the last ten minutes, writes Ed Bawden.

The Severnsiders just about deserved their win, Redruth Injuries and a 17-5 penalty count had much to do with the outcome, Lydney scoring all four tries from kicking penalties to the corner and using the driving maul.

With Chris Fuca away for the weekend and Sam Parsons out with a broken collarbone, Kyle Marriott led the Reds against one of his former clubs and put in a cracking performance.

On a clear warm day, Redruth lost Jack Kessell, Owen Hambly and Murray Westren all to injuries in the first half on a hard pitch, while the hosts had a player carried off in the second half.

A good run from Lewis Vinnicombe with good support from Westren and Hambly ended with Greg Goodfellow scooting over for a try after five minutes to put the Reds in front.

After Reduth lost Kessell, knee, and Hambly, ankle, in quick succession, Lydney took the lead after 21 minutes when a driving maul took play to the Reds line and a clever line from Josh Hannam saw him take an offload to score near the posts for Tony Wicks to convert.

Another driving maul eight minutes later saw the home skipper Sam Arnott in his first game of the season dive over for an unconverted try.

With the penalty count against the Reds piling up, they lost Dan Rutter who took Hambly's place in the back row to a yellow card for an offside offence at a line-out in midfield.

Wicks added a penalty just before the half time whistle to see his side take a ten point lead into the break.

At the start of the second half Redruth were held up over the line, however as Lydney looked to get out of trouble a charged down kick saw Marriott give a pass to John Stevens who crashed through a tackle for the reds second try that Ashley Hosking converted from wide out on the left.

Royal Navy wing Matt Bowden had a couple of good runs for the Reds and from a quickly taken penalty Marriott crashed over after 55 minutes to put the Redruth in front again.

Going into the final quarter a Dave Bennett try from a catch and drive put Lydney back in front with Wicks converting.

Redruth had won on their last three visits to Regentsholm and the home side appeared nervous, the result was in the balance until ten minutes from time when the visitors defended a catch and drive well to force a turnover, but Goodfellow's clearance was charged down and Lydney prop Will Goodrick-Clarke romped over for the decisive try which Wicks converted.

REDRUTH: 15 Hosking, 14 Vinnicombe (Phillips 79), 13 Wedlake, 12 Webber, 11 Kessell (Bowden 11), 10 Westren (Rule 38), 9 Goodfellow; 1 Phillips (Southworth 56), 2 Brown, 3 Drew, 4 Howe, 5 Lamsin, 6 Hambly (Rutter 14), 7 Stevens, 8 Marriott (c).

TRIES: Goodfellow, Stevens, Marriott.

CONS: Hosking 1/3.

SIN-BIN: Rutter.