REGIONAL ONE SOUTH WEST (SATURDAY)

Matson 32 Launceston 5

LAUNCESTON fell to back-to-back defeats for the first time this season as a clinical Matson side ran out 32-5 winners in Gloucester.

The All Blacks headed up the M5 looking to bounce back from the 40-7 reversal at promotion-chasing Barnstaple, but despite spending long spells in the home 22, a failure to convert their opportunities once again cost them dear.

Launceston also made four changes from their North Devon outing.

With influential inside-centre Cam Fogden out injured, James Tucker moved from full-back to fly-half with skipper Tom Sandercock taking the 12 shirt and Jose Luis Juarez the 15 jersey.

Winger Ben Bryant was back at university which saw Zerran Hammond recalled.

In the pack, prop Charlie Short was only fit enough for a place on the bench having gone off injured with a shoulder problem at Pottington Road, meaning Alex Bartlett started.

Lock Tom Bottoms pulled out with a shoulder problem on Thursday evening allowing a recall for Leion Cole, while on the bench youngster Jamie Chapman was available for the first time having broken his arm in pre-season.

A trip to Gloucester is never an easy task and five minutes in Matson were ahead.

After getting close to the visitors’ line following a driving maul, they spun the ball out wide for number eight Tom Porter to go over. Skipper Connor Gwilliam added the extras for 7-0.

Playing down the slope in the first 40, the visitors spent much of it camped in the home half, and several minutes in the Matson 22.

Just after the ten-minute mark winger Ollie Bebbington was forced off injured following a high tackle from Gwilliam which earned him a yellow card, with Chapman coming on.

Jamie Chapman
Launceston's Jamie Chapman (front and left of picture) looks to get across as Matson swarm forward. Picture: Dave Voyce (Dave Voyce)

But try as they might, Launceston couldn’t find an elusive score as a combination of fine home defending and a lack of a clinical edge meant Matson kept their nil intact.

To make matters worse for the Cornishmen, Matson went further ahead with the last play of the half.

They won a penalty at a scrum just inside the Launceston 22 which Gwilliam slotted for a 10-0 lead.

Within five minutes of the restart Matson went further ahead and on 49 minutes when Leion Cole was harshly yellow-carded for a high tackle, they sealed the game for good.

Launceston at Matson.
Launceston's pack battle it out with their Matson counterparts. Picture: Dave Voyce (Dave Voyce)

From the resulting penalty they kicked to the corner, won the lineout and were mauled over, before on 53 minutes it was 22-0 as after they broke the gain line and kicked through, the ball wasn’t collected and flanker Tom Collier dotted down.

Launceston pulled one back ten minutes later when a number of phases ended with Lloyd Duke crossing from close range, but George Hillson couldn’t land the conversion (22-5).

A bad day at the office continued as winger Aaron Morefield intercepted Sandercock’s long pass to run in from just inside the Launceston half.

And Gwilliam, who converted that try, added a penalty with the last play of the game to make the score 32-5.

LAUNCESTON: Jose Luis Juarez, Zerran Hammond, Billy Martin, Tom Sandercock (capt), Ollie Bebbington, James Tucker, George Hillson; Mitch Hawken, Levent Bulut, Alex Bartlett, Dan Goldsmith, Leion Cole, Seb Cox, Lloyd Duke, Brandon Rowley. Replacements: Charlie Short, Dom Ellery, Jamie Chapman.

Tries: Duke; Convs: N/A; Pens: N/A.

Launceston man of the match: Dan Goldsmith.