By Paul Cottle

COUNTIES ONE WESTERN WEST St Ives 21 Bude 10

After a week’s break and more than a hint of winter chill in the air, Bude’ made the long trip down west to St Ives last Saturday  and for long periods threatened to spring a surprise on the home side, but, ultimately, two tries in quick succession early in the second half proved to be the turning point in the game as the Seasiders returned home empty handed.  

There was a look of the old guard in the visitors’ line up with Jason Bolt and Will Kingdon both recalled to the side from semi-retirement in place of the unavailable regular hooker Rory Mead and the versatile Ben Tharme, while Chris Allin made a welcome return in the front row after recovering from injury.  

Tharme’s absence resulted in a reshuffle in the Bude pack and their three-quarter line, but Bolt and Kingdon proved to be able deputies as the visitors made life difficult for the home side in the opening exchanges.

However, it was the Hakes who took the lead on seven minutes with a try from full-back Matty Turton, with number eight Jamie Prisk adding the extras from the tee.  

Bude quickly responded with a try from second row Will Hockridge after a powerful drive from the visitors’ pack.  Fly half Olly Denford converted to draw his side level and when the home side transgressed at the breakdown, Denford put Bude in front with a well-struck penalty goal.  

They held the lead, 10-7, at the break, but on 47 minutes second row Todd Prisk touched down for the home side, with fly-half Grant Thirlby converting to give St Ives the lead once more.  

Then, just beyond the 50-minute mark, left wing Adam Harris swooped for his side’s third try of the afternoon, again converted by Thirlby and Bude were left playing catch up.

With the morning’s frost now having given way to rain and the ground conditions rapidly worsening, the visitors battled hard to gain some reward for their efforts, but St Ives held on to their 11-point lead and at the final whistle, Bude were left to rue what might have been.

This Saturday Bude are off on their travels once more with the Penzance-based Pirates Amateurs playing host for the first game of the second half of the league campaign. 

In the reverse fixture in early September, the visitors claimed the spoils as they ran out victors 47-26 in a high-scoring match at Bencoolen Meadow.  

The Seasiders will be looking for a better outcome this time around, but it is likely to prove to be another tough fixture.

BUDE: Brad Thomas, Rory Hodges, Patrick Marks, Ben Hancock, Zerran Hammond, Olly Denford, Charlie Watton; Matt Williams, Jason Bolt, Chris Allin, Will Hockridge, Will Kingdon, Finley Fry, Lewis Jones, Freddie Saxton (capt). Replacements: Martin George, Luke Wilson, Jack Horwell.

Tries: Hockridge; Convs: Denford; Pens: Denford.