Clevedon battle back to see off play-off chasing Camborne

The hosts overcame a five point half-time deficit and two second-half yellow cards to record a vital win in their bid to avoid the drop.

Mike Taylor kicked 14 points for Clevedon, including a sweetly struck drop-goal, while Dean Ashfield crossed for his second try in consecutive games to seal the points.

Clevedon were first on the scoreboard as Taylor knocked over a 20 metre penalty on 10 minutes – but Camborne hit back almost immediately with the opening try of the afternoon, as the impressive Alex Ducker fed Callum Moyle to cross in the left-hand corner.

The league high-flyers were beginning to find their feet in a scrappy and error-ridden contest and doubled their try count through David Roberts on 33 minutes, as he crashed over from close range.

But the home side soon began to settle and went close to pulling a score back through Rory Biggins who latched on to a loose ball to touch down – but the referee called play back for a knock-on in the build-up.

A prolonged period of possession and territory ended with another three points from the boot of Taylor, who struck the ball cleanly throughout the afternoon on a soft surface.

An identical spell of play followed, as Camborne again infringed at the break-down and Taylor ensured the sides went into the break with the score at 9-14.

Now playing with the slope, Clevedon upped the ante - but not before a colossal defensive effort had prevented the visitors from crossing for a third.

Owen Biggins was sent to the sin-bin shortly after coming on as a substitute – and as he returned to the field, brother Rory took his place on the naughty step for an alleged swinging arm.

Camborne huffed and puffed as they tried to take advantage of the sin-binnings, but a resolute Clevedon defence fought hard to stop them in their tracks.

Scrum-half Mortimore continued to threaten around the fringes, and as Biggins returned from the sin-bin, it was Camborne’s turn to play ten minutes with 14 men as the referee’s patience wore thin at the ruck.

Having battled away for 20 minutes, Clevedon were quick to make their numerical advantage pay and took the lead on 65 minutes when Ashfield steamed on to floated pass from Will Carpenter to crash over to the left of the upright.

Taylor added the straight forward conversion, before man of the match Alex Giltrow nearly put the game to bed with a barnstorming run.

He was held up just short as the Camborne defence scrambled - but the points were sealed moments later as Taylor fired home a stunning long range drop-goal to give Clevedon their fourth win of the season and pull them closer to safety in South West One West.

They travel to Cornwall this weekend to take on St Austell – coach leaves at 9am.