Saturday January, 4

Cornwall Cup (Group 4)

Bodmin 2s 38

CAMELFORD’S first game of 2020 ended with a 38-0 defeat to Bodmin Seconds in the newly-formed Cornwall Cup, which also incorporates second teams.

With Christmas only just over, Camelford struggled to get a 15-man squad together. In the opening exchanges both teams cancelled each other out with strong running and good tackling.

In fact, it took Bodmin 30 minutes to break down a strong home defence, and they only managed two tries during the first half going down hill due to Camelford’s sheer determination to keep them out.

After half-time was when Camelford really started to pressure the Bodmin side using strong running from Toby Appleby, Ian Boundy and Tom Arkell. They pushed Bodmin right back to their try line, when after a strong run from Arkell, Jak Luxton thought he had touched the ball down for his first ever try. Unfortunately he had knocked the ball on during the movement and the try was disallowed.

Still Camelford went about their business but after 50 minutes fitness and injuries began to tell, which allowed the visitors to score more points through strong running.

Camelford were not finished though and came close to a couple of scores. Stand-in scrum-half Ryan Jones broke free and made a massive effort to reach the try line before offloading to Conor Packwood who was unable to finish the move off due to good cover tackling. The second continued in the same vain, with Camelford showing glimpses of what they are capable of during a time of rebuilding before next season, but the visitors left Lane End with a 38-0 victory.

Camelford head to Stithians, who they have already faced twice in Tribute Cornwall Two this term, for their second game on Saturday (2.30pm).

Their next home game is against Redruth Albany on January 25.

Camelford’s man-of-the-match: Jak Luxton.