SOME people have criticised the current crop of Launceston players over the last few weeks for lack of commitment. If they had been at Cambridge they would have eaten their words. This was 100% commitment, pride in the black jersey and considerable skill by every player involved. So often over the years we seem to have lacked the 'killer punch'. This time it was there with a vengeance as The Cornish All Blacks snatched victory with just seconds remaining of this confrontation with Cambridge at Grantchester Road which was so vital to both Clubs, writes Tony Randel.

This away win against the high-flying, big spending East Anglians, has done the players' and supporters' morale no end of good. Never have a happier band set out on the 320 mile journey home as they savour the delights of being third in the league and still very much in with a chance of gaining the top spot.

The sides sounded each other out for the first ten minutes with Cambridge getting the better of the early exchanges largely in the All Blacks half. Then came signs of the visitors marshalling their forces and, with centre Ryan Westren breaking and Marc Dibble coming close, the All Blacks began to dominate. Winger Gary Kingdom on a solo run was stopped just short and another combined move almost succeeded but for a final stray pass. This was beginning to look like Blaydon all over again when Launceston dominated the play but could not get the scores!

However, the pressure paid off paid off after 25 minutes when Jon Fabian kicked a 32-metre penalty to start Cambridge's new electronic scoreboard ticking over.

Cambridge hit back immediately with an unconverted score, left wing Chris Lombaard – one of the league's top try-scorers – finishing off a good handling move to cross wide out. Within five minutes this narrow lead was extended to 10-3, scrum half John Brake sending a clever cross-kick for full back Ben Patston to gather and release wing John Hinkins to go over.

The All Blacks responded immediately with Fabian breaking down the wing and chipping ahead. He was blatantly held back before re-gathering but the referee failed to spot the transgression. Cornish All Blacks had a chance to close the gap when Cambridge flanker Darren Fox was sin-binned but the long range penalty attempt drifted just wide.

So at half time Cambridge held a seven point lead. They stretched this three minutes into the second half when the backs accelerated through the midfield and released Lombaard for his second try of the day and ninth of the season. Patston made it three conversion misses out of three but Cambridge looked to be pulling gradually away.

However, after a brief territorial kicking duel, the visitors fight back began. Fabian lofted a superb cross-kick in the home 22, Marc Dibble fastened on to it and sneaked in at the corner. Just after the hour from a tapped penalty in midfield on the 22 Ben Turner shot away on a clever angle to touch down in the corner making it 15-13.

Five minutes later Patston landed a fine 30-metre penalty which was cancelled out by one from Staniforth, numerically replacing Jon Fabian, after home lock Pete Kolakanski was sin-binned, but then Patston added three more easy penalty points with his boot to make it 21-16. The stage was set for the nail biting finish which even prolific author and keen Cambridge supporter Jeffery Archer could not have scripted better from a Launceston point of view!

With full time approaching fast the All Blacks were losing 21-16 but they were far from done for. Memories of the game at Grantchester Road two years ago when Marc Dibble scored the winning try in injury time came flooding back as the Cornish All Blacks prepared themselves up for a final assault on the home line. A line-out led to a ruck 15 metres out where speedy scrum-half Ben Turner whipped the ball out to Steve Perry, who had switched to his preferred position of inside centre after Adam Staniforth had come on and taken over at fly half. The inside centre sent out a long pass to Marc Dibble and the wing released Mal Roberts, who had moved to 15, to race delightedly over wide out to level the scores at 21-21.

The clock said 80 minutes. Up stepped Staniforth for the pressure kick of the match, if not the season so far, five yards in from the touchline. Everyone held their breath, but his strike was perfect and the ball, with victory written all over it, sailed over slap between the posts. The cow bell rang loudly, St Pirans flags were waved and the Cornish supporters, including some exiles from Norwich and Birmingham were singing Trelawney as Staniforth safely booted the ball into touch from the kick off for the final whistle.

Cambridge: Ben Patston, James Hinkins, Luke Fielden, Craig Evans, Chris Lombaard, James Shanahan, John Brake, Tom Laws, Matt Otter (Dan Hoad 61), Mike Guess (Ben Cooper 20), Dan Legge, Rob Hurrell (Pete Kolakowski 61), Laurence White, Darren Fox (capt) and Tom Powell (Dave Archer 58).

Cornish All Blacks: Jon Fabian (Adam Staniforth 61), Marc Dibble, Mal Roberts, Ryan Westren, Gary Kingdom, Steve Perry, Ben Turner, Keith Brooking (capt), Glenn Cooper, Hamish Mitchell, Tim Collier, Bryn Jenkins, Josh Lord, Sam Hocking (Jon Brandling-Harris 70) and Glen Remnant.

Scorers - Cambridge: tries, Lombaard (2), Hinkins; pens, Batston (2): Cornish All Blacks: tries, Dibble, Turner, Roberts; con, Staniforth; pens, Staniforth, Fabian

Referee: Mr Terry Hall.