Tribute Cornwall and Devon League: Newquay Hornets 21, Wellington 0.
WELLINGTON produced another gritty display to make life difficult for the league leaders, but never looked like avoiding defeat.
Injuries to full back Kevin Mackenzie and flanker Joe Hawkins from last week's tremendous victory did not aid their cause.
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However they found more than adequate cover in Dan Smythe-Moore in the back row combining well with the experience of Allyn Chetland and the power of Lloyd Willcocks and the reappearance of Matt Taylor.
From the start it was all Hornets pressure which the visitors contained until the 12th minute when scrum half Ryan Johns kicked a penalty.
Play continued pretty much as one-way traffic and the home side got another penalty after 20 minutes, which Johns again directed accurately.
Despite sterling efforts to break out from their own half Wellington were never able to do so for any period of time and Newquay went further ahead in injury time through another John's penalty to round matters off at the interval 9-0 ahead.
With conditions worsening, but with the elements at their back, the Red and Blacks began the second half brightly and for a while they threatened but met a resolute home defence and matters developed into a war of attrition.
With ten minutes gone the Cornishmen got the score which mattered as they spun the ball wide to the left from a ruck on the visitors' 22 and captain and wing Ashley Mann made no mistake in the corner. The swirling wind this time defeated Johns with the conversion.
Despite brief moments of hope Wellington were unable to make any real impression and went further behind beyond redemption with a quarter of an hour left. A clearance kick in their 22 was charged down and centre Jason Keyter was quickest to react and put Mann in for his second try. Unbelievably Johns was able to use his experience from the previous conversion attempt to again judge the kick to perfection and round off the scoring.
The game was effectively dead from that point on as Wellington mounted last ditch assaults without ever displaying the nous to unlock the efficient Newquay defence.
In truth Wellington were second in this game throughout and realistically expected to be beaten but were pleased to be able to compete and keep the score to a reasonable level for which may they would have settled before the start of proceedings.
WELLINGTON'S 1st and 2nd XVs are without fixtures this weekend but the 3rds are at home to Burnham on Saturday in Somerset Three (S), kick off 2.30pm. The Colt's are the centre of attraction for the Club as they travel to Bath for their U-19s Cup semi-final.
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