Clifton turned in one of their most convincing performances in many a year to topple Camborne from the leading league position. Camborne are a good side, but on the day Clifton fully deserved this victory. With two games to play neither side will be complacent as to who will be celebrating in two weeks time. The black and lavenders are now in pole position.

Captain and scrum half Mitch Spencer initiated Clifton’s attack machine with well-timed passes and astute kicks. Speedy winger Zak Hamid crossed for a hat trick of tries. Ever mindful of the cherry and white’s ability to strike it was leading league try scorers Alex Ducker and Ben Priddey who both contributed a brace to keep their team in the game.

Clifton Director of Rugby Matt Salter was visibly delighted with his team’s performance and commented “This was by far the most complete performance I’ve seen in a Clifton side. However, this was our quarter final and there are still potential banana skins to come. It all starts again with training on Tuesday.”

Camborne DoR Steve Larkins was gracious in defeat in acknowledging Clifton’s superiority on the day. “We go home, analyse today and put things right for the final games “

Some Camborne loose play was taken advantage of by Clifton to send Hamid on a run to open the scoring. Camborne exerted pressure on the home line and it was almost inevitable that Priddey would go over and add his second later in the action.

With both efforts converted it was honours even until a scintillating Clifton move saw Spencer score, with fly half Tom Quinlan quickly adding a penalty. Clifton sought to launch attacks from all over the ground, and a quickly taken penalty sent full back Luke Daniels on his way. The Clifton pack began asserting degrees of control with backs eager to test the Camborne defence with Hamid claiming his second.

Ducker magic saw him take advantage to sprint in to remind the crowd he was still around and keep hopes alive. Later a brilliant interception by him and a fifty-metre dash was to give the Town some further hope. However the home team had grown in confidence, and a strong drive and swift handling sent winger Matty Smith over. Yellow cards to both teams interrupted proceedings, but the referee takes credit for maintaining pace and removing any friction.

However, as Camborne faded, a well-judged bouncing kick by centre Marcus Nel saw Hamid steal possession from the Camborne defender to close out the win, and underline his team’s supremacy on the day under perfect conditions in front of over a thousand spectators.

Roger Opie

CLIFTON WANDERERS 50 - 46 BURNHAM-ON-SEA 1st XV

Clifton Wanderers rounded off their Counties 1 Western North campaign with a dramatic and high-scoring 50-46 away win over Burnham-on-Sea.

With a characteristically light bench, the Wanderers came out of the blocks firing, flanker Jacob Head crossing after just two minutes to give the visitors an early lead. Burnham responded quickly, but tries from hooker Tom Hatch and inside centre Conor Sloan, both converted by Harry Delaney, kept the scoreboard ticking over for the men in lavendar and black.

The first half was a breathless affair, with tries traded at a frenetic pace. Sloan grabbed a brace before Head powered over for his second, and Hatch rounded off a scintillating opening 40 minutes with a well-worked team try converted once more by Delaney, sending the Wanderers into the break 36-15 to the good.

The second half began as the first ended, with fly-half Delaney capping off a fine personal display with a try of his own. But Burnham, to their credit, refused to lie down. They clawed their way back into the contest with several quickfire tries, exploiting Clifton’s stretched defence and lack of fresh legs.

No. 8 Ed Grinsted produced a strong performance in the loose, crashing over twice to halt Burnham's momentum and keep Wanderers ahead on the scoreboard. Yet Burnham continued to rally, scoring in the 80th minute to close the gap to just four points. However, the final whistle confirmed a five-point win for the visitors.

While the result ensured a perfect end to the season, eyes quickly turned to events elsewhere. Hopes of a league title hinged on Old Reds 2s toppling table-toppers Cleve, but those hopes were dashed as Cleve ran out comfortable winners at Scotland Lane, leaving the Wanderers in 2nd place by a solitary point. A bitter pill perhaps, but not without pride—this being just their second season at in Counties 1, having finished mid-table last year, the progress is undeniable.

With a runners up promotion spot still a possibility depending on how things shake out across the leagues, the Wanderers may yet find themselves heading upwards. Of particular note is Devizes' dramatic 35-33 win over Sherborne in Counties 1 Southern Couties South, leapfrogging Sherborne into 2nd place in the process. With a lower XV winning the league, Devizes should be promoted, but the word on the street is they have requested to remain in Counties 1 for another year. This could mean a runners up promotion spot opens up for the Wanderers who are next in the queue.

So, it’s a wait-and-see—promotion remains a possibility, and whatever happens, this has been a campaign of real growth and momentum for the Wanderers.

Final score: Burnham-on-Sea 1st XV 46 – 50 Clifton Wanderers
Scorers: Head (2), Hatch (2), Sloan (2), Delaney (1), E. Grinsted (2)
Conversions: Delaney (5)
Thatcher's Man of the Match: Jacob Head – a massive performance on both sides of the ball, setting the tone early and leading from the front throughout.

Watch this space. The Wanderers may not be done yet.

MISFITS 0 - 108 ASHLEY DOWN OLD BOYS

The final game of the season saw Ashley Down Old Boys 1st dismantle Clifton Misfits in a dominant 108-0 victory, sealing a comprehensive win for the hosts and all but confirming Clifton’s finish in the bottom two, if other results did not go their way.

With relegation hanging in the balance for the Misfits, who required just a single point to avoid the drop, the visitors faced a tough challenge.
The odds were stacked against them, as a series of injuries and late call-ups left Clifton starting with just 14 players, many out of position.

To add to the pressure, the Misfits bid farewell to veteran loosehead prop Leo Howard, who was playing his last game before a summer move to Scotland.

From the outset, Ashley Down asserted their superiority, attacking with relentless pace and precision. The visitors struggled to cope with the intensity, and though Clifton did manage a number of defensive efforts, they were unable to contain the hosts' offensive firepower. The first half saw Ashley Down race to a commanding 43-0 lead, with Clifton unlucky not to score just before the break after a pick-and-go was fumbled over the line.

The second half continued in the same vein, with the Misfits enduring further hardship. Clifton’s captain, Pete Anderson, was forced off with an injury, leaving the side even more depleted. Despite their best efforts, the Misfits could do little to stem the tide of Ashley Down's free-flowing rugby. The final whistle blew with the scoreline at a staggering 108-0 in favour of the home side.

Greg Kirkwood was named Thatchers Man of the Match, marking an impressive debut performance.

To add salt to the Misfits' wounds, news arrived that St Brendan’s had indeed defeated Dings 3, condemning Clifton to a bottom-two finish and all but confirming their relegation to a lower division for the coming season.

The Lavender and Blacks will take some solace in the fact they have fulfilled all of their league games and are the only team in the bottom half of the table not to have conceded a single walkover this year.

Ashley Down’s emphatic victory capped off a successful season, while Clifton must regroup and focus on rebuilding for next year after a disappointing end to a long and arduous campaign.

Photographs by Ian Clark