THE Cornish All Blacks took a win with the last kick of the game as Old Elthamians played into their hands.

Tries from Sam Holmes and Jake Murphy, both inside the last three minutes, took the points to Cornwall but broke the hearts of the home team supporters.

Neil Bayliss, Launceston RFC Director of Rugby, was pleased with his team's performance: "This was the first time we've played Elthamians and in the first half the teams cancelled each other out. We played for position and took the penalties as they came.

"In the second-half, although our yellow card (to number eight Barrie-John Chapman, on 56 minutes) didn't help, our character came good. Our mauling towards the end was outstanding and we deserved the win."

Launceston have won only two of their last eight games, and were determined to take something after such a long journey. The first-half was very tight, with neither side willing to take a chance with the ball in hand. Kieron Lewitt hit two good penalty kicks as Elthamians, yet again, fell foul of the laws. Tom White pulled the points back with two penalties of his own to bring the sides back to 6-6 at half time.

In the second-half, the introduction of Rob White, for his brother at fly-half, brought an urgency to Elthamians' back line. On 68 minutes, Renford Bennett fly-hacked through and beat the defence to the touchdown. White converted.

Seven minutes later, White made a break and switched the ball back inside for Jon Webber to slide over. Although the kick was missed, the home side were now 18-6 up and seemingly on their way for a routine victory.

Launceston had other ideas, however, and the rolling maul from a lineout was their weapon. First Holmes touched down and then, at the death, Murphy wriggled through. Lewitt kept his cool to hit the conversions and Launceston, to the stunned reaction of the crowd, had snatched a famous win.

Gavin Lach, Elthamians' director of rugby was philosophical after the game:?"In truth, we should have won that by a country mile, but we let it slip."

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.