Redruth denied despite storming second half

IN a classic ‘game of two halves’ Esher deservedly halted Redruth’s 19-match winning run with a storming first half display with their fly-half Sam Morley giving a virtuoso performance. At half-time Esher led by 27 – 7 and added another 7 point is in the first few minutes of the 2nd period to go 27 points clear and a rout looked on the cards. This Redruth side though were not going down without a fight and stormed back into the match. Roared on by the biggest crowd of the season an unlikely victory looked possible for a while but Esher, to their credit, hung on with determined defence, the Reds falling just short of the line a number of times.

Redruth kicked off the match playing against the stiff breeze but following a line-out on the Reds 22 Esher went over for the first try on 2 mins. The Reds hit back almost immediately with a well worked peel off the back of the line-out leading to a Joel Matavesi try converted by Fraser Honey. Esher through dominated the rest of the half with No.10 Morley’s running and passing dictating play. Further Esher tries followed on 11, 19 & 27 mins, two of them well converted from the touchline. Esher added what turned out to be crucial penalty for good measure to deservedly go in well ahead.

No doubt Redruth needed to score first in the 2nd half to sow any seeds of doubt in the Esher players’ minds. But it was not to be as Esher added a converted try on 43 mins to extend their lead. From now on though it was all Redruth but try as they might the Reds finished 8 points back and the day was lost. This was a fantastic game of rugby to watch.