BUDE's hopes of a continued run in the EDF Energy-sponsored Senior Vase National Cup competition, to add a little sparkle to their difficult season, foundered at Ben-coolen Meadow on Saturday, as they were defeated in the third round by Truro by two tries and two penalty goals to a converted try and a single penalty goal.

However, the Seasiders could have few complaints as they failed to dominate the set scrums, one of their traditional strengths and although their line out functioned reasonably well, their stuttering back play could not make up for their lack of control upfront and they had to accept second best against a young Truro, going well in one division below in the Cornwall and Devon League, especially their breakaway flanker Sean Roseveare, who was outstanding.

Bude's cause was not helped by the absence through injury of their skipper and tighthead prop Barry Sobey.

Truro had first use of the blustery north-west wind but it was Bude who took the lead on six minutes with a penalty goal from full-back Matt Trewin, after a Truro forward had been spotted with illegal hands in a ruck.

However, six minutes later, Truro nosed in front when from a set scrum in the Bude 22, the ball was worked to the blindside and right-wing Ben Chenoworth went over in the corner.

If it was a bit of a shock to the home supporters to see their pack on the retreat in their own 22, worse was to come after 25 minutes when from a similar position, Truro's scrum-half Sam Vaughan shot over after a sweetly-timed pick up and pass by his No.8 Garth Dodgson, which increased his side's lead to 10-3.

Clearly realising this wasn't a game to be won in the close confines of the forwards, Bude fly-half Andy Yates began to probe for openings for his threequarters, ever alert to a gap for an individual break.

On 32 minutes, from a ruck on the Truro 22, Yates combined with his outside-centre Tim Green, to put left-wing Ben Couch over for a try in a the corner, wiping out the flagpost in the process.

Then, from the acutest of angles, full back Trewin struck a superb conversion to bisect the uprights, judging the wind to perfection.

At ten-all, it seemed that the Seasiders had weathered the storm and with the conditions set to favour them in the second half, they could look ahead to brighter things.

However, Truro had the last laugh in the opening period when their full-back Daniel Dunkin slotted a penalty kick in the 35th minute, after the home pack were penalised for a handling offence at the breakdown.

At the interval, Bude rang the changes, introducing two new signings in local boy John Hiscock and Ollie Rayner, both students at Marjons College in Plymouth.

Hiscock moved into the second row, in place of Paul Weston, and Rayner took over from Tim Green, slotting in at fly-half, with Yates and inside-centre Paul Williams both moving out one place.

While Rayner comes well recommended and showed encouraging glimpses of a clearly talented young player, he was perhaps guilty of trying a little too hard to impress and needs time to settle in alongside his new colleagues.

However, in a somewhat less exposed position in the pack, Hiscock gave a strong performance, especially in the loose, although neither lad was able to affect the final result of the match.

On 65 minutes, with the conditions in Bude's favour and both sides beginning to tire, Truro conceded a penalty, 35 metres out, just to the right of the posts, which was to prove the pivotal moment of the game.

Rather than accepting the three points on offer from a fairly regulation penalty kick – which would have see them draw level – Bude gambled on the strength of their line-out and kicked to touch ten metres out from the visitors' line.

However, the Truro pack crucially stole the ball and full-back Dunkin was able to clear his lines.

It wasn't 'game, set and match' by and means but you could see the Bude heads drop.

Then, with eight minutes remaining, Dunkin kicked his second successful penalty, after the Bude threequarter line was caught offside in midfield.

That was that. There was no coming back a second time and Truro held on for a well deserved victory.

On Saturday, Bude make the short trip down the A39 to take on local rivals Wadebridge Camels, whose confidence will be sky high after defeating Shelford, a team two leagues above them, in the National Trophy last Saturday.

Bude: try, Ben Couch; conv and pen, Matt Trewin.

Truro: tries, Ben Chenoworth, Sam Vaughan; pens, Daniel Dunkin 2.

Bude: Matt Trewin, Olly Den-ford, Tim Green, Paul Williams, Ben Couch, Andy Yates (captain), Ollie Mounce, Matt Williams, Barry Lucas, Gareth Walker, Will Kingdon, Paul Weston, Lee Weston, Rob Uglow, Tom David. Replacements: Dan Miles, John Hiscock, Ollie Rayner, Joel Troke.

Referee: Ian Pengelly (New-quay and Cornwall RRS).