The reward for victory at Brixham was a home tie against National League Two side Redruth for Shaft Road minnows Oldfield.

On one of those days that will be filed under the canine category, the match yesterday against last years beaten finalists proved a tough test for Oldfield in the National Colt Cup.

Oldfield started the game brightly with a series of attacking scrums and lineouts giving the backs some early possession with which to test Redruth’s defence.  Oldfield ably retained possession for much of opening 10 minutes and looked to be gaining momentum towards an early score.

However, after 12 minutes Redruth 9 launched a speculative Garryowen into the home team half to relieve the building Oldfield pressure.  The resulting contest for the dropped ball gifted the Redruth wing a try against the run of play.  The conversion was missed to give Redruth a lead of 5 points.

Unphased, Oldfield reasserted their assault on the travelling team.  Two scything breaks from Matty Pearce and prop Kane Newport both gained Oldfield valuable yards into the visitors half.  A series of determined Oldfield drives into the heart of the Redruth defence generated space out wide duly exploited by fly half Burns with a looping pass to send Huneybun over in the corner.  The missed conversion left the game finely poised at 5-5.

Redruth quickly responded to the score with an easy penalty in front of the posts for an off side indiscretion by the home side.  This gave Redruth a 5-8 point lead going into the final quarter of the first half.

Galvanised by the lead, Redruth used the advantages of wind and slope to exert 10-15 minutes of sustained pressure on the Oldfield 22.  Oldfield’s defence was surly tested in this onslaught with the Cornishmen keen for a wind-assisted score.  However, man of the match Matty Clifton marshalled his pack to withstand the pressure, only yielding a penalty on 39 minutes.  The attempt for points duly failed and the referee’s whistle brought Oldfield a welcome restbite from the elements and Redruth!

Oldfield must now have relished the prospect of playing with the gusting wind and slope; with a slender 3 point margin to overhaul.  However, Redruth started the second half with the greater endeavour.  The travelling forward pack attempted to continually drive their way into the Oldfield half.  Some Oldfield handling errors gifted Redruth possession within their 22.  A last gasp clearance by fly half Burns narrowly avoiding a certain Redruth score.

On 60 minutes, a defensive line out was spoiled by Oldfield 2nd row Gibson.  The loose ball picked up by hooker Hayes who bundled his way across the Redruth try line to give Oldfield a deserved 10-8 lead.

Again Redruth attacked, when a hack through by their scrum half deep into the Oldfield 22 sent full back Chrisy Ericson scrambling towards his goal line.  Ericson gathered well and recovered (aided by Huneybun) to secure vital possession.  Clarke then quickly moved the ball to wing Pearce who deftly sidestepped three Redruth tacklers to break the gain line.  Pearce hacked on into the open space and took chase along with Redruth’s scramble defence.  The Reds full back won the foot race, only to face Pearce, Lilley and Honeybun.  Deciding to run out from his ingoal area suddenly proved a ill move when he was driven back past his sticks to give the home side an attacking scrum.  

With the front row trio of Stainer, Hayes and Newport in uncompromising mood a push over try seemed on the cards.  However, fly half Burns’ nous proved pivotal in positioning himself to duly slot over a drop goal to extend Oldfield’s advantage to 13-8 in a tight contest.

Having failed to do so in the opening exchanges of the second half, Oldfield slowly began to turn the screw up front to, ultimately match winning effect.  The experienced forward unit of Oldfield grabbed hold of the soapy ball and worked it through the phases to gain a strangle hold on the remaining 13 minutes of the game.

To give credit to our visitors, they never gave up and continued to test our lads until the end.  An Oldfield penalty deep into injury time gifted Burns a further three points and the referees final whistle.

And on a final note, Oldfield Club Chairman, Jerry Burns would like to take this opportunity to say "A big thank you to everyone for all your help yesterday and to all the touch line support we had, it makes all the hard work worth while."   

Oldfield Colts:

Stainer, Hayes, Newport, Gibson, Shahin, Honeybun, Mercer, Clifton, Clarke, Burns (Capt), Lilley, Mc Donald, Goodwin, Pearce, Ericson.

Subs:  Mc Afferty, Smith, Lane, Lovell.
 
F.Burns
Drop Goal (1)
Penalty (1)

Hayes
Try (1)

Honeybun
Try (1)