FALMOUTH 2XV, despite missing key players, showed their determination and resilience as they faced Saltash on Saturday.

With only fifteen players available they stood in solidarity as the team paid tribute to the late Terence Pond, father of player 'Pondy' with a minute of silence, to honor his long service as a mace bearer to the Falmouth civic office and mayor.

Ashes were first to take advantage of the slope running in from twenty yards under the sticks with an added conversion. 

The Eagles playing up the hill into the wind replied swiftly when Tug provided a short pass to Tricky in the twenty-two to scuttle over the whitewash for the first time in nine years, having come out of retirement, with Ned Laity adding the extras, it was now game on.

Unfortunately, the momentum was short-lived, Ned sustaining a recurring shoulder injury, which left the Eagles down to fourteen men and no scrum half for the remainder. Everyone shuffled in, Tug Wilson now at scrum half in attack and covering full-back in defence and Tricky at ten.

Falmouth Packet: The score line finished 63-22.The score line finished 63-22. (Image: Falmouth Rugby Club)

For the rest of the half that followed, an uncomfortable pattern emerged. Kick off, Saltash catch, run in a try, something this young side were slow to adapt and fix.

However, when the Eagles did have possession, they executed well. The forwards who looked lively throughout, worked a nice lineout play and powered Dom Fern to scuttle in for a Try.

55-12 to Ashes at the break. With the scoreboard heading towards a cricket score, Falmouth rallied together to focus efforts on targeting two more Try's to salvage a bonus point.

With the slope and the wind the Eagles started to show that they were from finished.

Tricky putting in a magical spell in which he was pinning Ashes back in to their half from the boot, and pleasing the crowd with his trademark goose step and go, exploding through the defence for a forty metre dash resulting in a Try for James Horton after good forwards support by Scott Dunstan and Cam Hopkins, who released the ball to Greg Pooley in the backs to set Horton up to score out wide.

The Eagles were fired up, and the heart was still there.

Notable performances by Dom Fern who made a great scrum-half on the hoof in the open, while Ben Tuffery aka the Ed Sheeran the flying Tongan did a great impression on the wing, releasing the Eagles in the loose. Which suited the unstructured approach of the side.

A carbon copy to his first score saw Tricky scoop another well-timed short pass from Tug to complete his brace, this time using his bulk to batter through some forwards from a tap penalty.

He used all his experience to ensure he didn't have to buy a jug by feigning injury in the dyeing moments earning him DOD honours. The score line finishing 63-22. Man of the match could have gone to Scott Dunstan but for tenacity on the wing Robbie Dendall ran out winner.

Falmouth having won the second half will go into the Wadebridge Camels game at the Rec confidently knowing that there will be plenty of reserves showing up eager to play. Whether they can displace any of these band of brothers who travelled and played for the badge while giving it their all here is yet to be seen.