A penalty try in the final minute snatched victory from a Canterbury side who had plenty of reasons to believe they deserved better from this close fought league clash.

But rugby deals in results not hard luck stories and Redruth took their only real chance of the second half and headed back to Cornwall with four points.

Cruel, perhaps, but the city side would surely have found a better outcome if they had taken their first half opportunities.   Despite enjoying the advantage of the breeze and slope, they reached half time with just one unconverted try to show for their efforts. At that point the smart money was clearly on the visitors but Canterbury were having none of it and, in the circumstance,  produced as good a forty minutes as they have played all season.

They controlled the ball for long periods, stifled Cornish ambition with fierce work at the breakdown, turned over possession and made every tackle count.  Redruth’s replacement front row men built an edge at the scrums but theCanterbury’s commitment had the hallmarks of a much needed victory stamped on it.

Only in those dying minutes did the visitors establish the position to give the scrummagers their head.  In those decisive moments Canterbury skipper Martyn Beaumont, still recovering from of a doubtful and unpunished tackle, was sin binned.  From the penalty Redruth went for the kill and the referee allowed Canterbury only two messy engagements before awarding the penalty try.  David Mankee made no mistake with a simple, match winning conversion.

It left Canterbury to reflect on their inability to exploit any dents in a strong Redruth defence but also on their decision making in that first half.  As the visitors leaked penalties the city side went seeking catch and drive tries but on four occasions were resisted.  Points on the board from goal kicks might have been a better option, and looked more so when poor handling ruined some final touches from the backs.

Canterbury resisted one crucial period of Redruth pressure but a score was delayed until the 35^th minute when a quickly taken penalty released Charlie Kingsman down the right and a flood of support arrive to take on recycled ball.. Good hands sent flanker Ryan Ward racing diagonally for the line but Tom Best could not find the target with his conversion.

It needed a bravura performance in the second half and we got it.  It featured a great all round effort, strong ball carrying from Best, Courtney Horey, George Micans and Sam Kenny, and gave Canterbury a tantalising glimpse of victory. The losing bonus point was miserly return.

Canterbury: O.Best, C.Kingsman, C.Horey, T.Best, A.Moss (repl G.Hilton), M.Beaumont, D.Smart (repl A.Moss), J.Green (repl A.Wake-Smith), T.Rogers (repl S.Rogers), A.Wake-Smith (repl S.Kenny), R.Cadman, T.Burns (repl R.Corr), T.Edwards (repl R.Ward), S.Nixon, G.Micans