CAMBORNE 24pts CLEVE 34pts

CAMBORNE'S hopes of progressing through to the last eight of the Powergen Intermediate Cup were ended by South West Two Cleve who ran out winners.

Town gave their all, but will reflect that on the day possibly the rub of the green went against them in defeat against a very well-drilled side.

In front of a good sized crowd the visitors exerted the early pressure and went ahead on five minutes when full back Liam Davis scooped up a long loose pass to burst through the home cover for a try that he also converted.

The Cherry and Whites came into the game in the 10th minute with a chargedown and follow up by livewire openside Dan Kennedy that took play to the Cleve line. Davies was deservedly sent to the sin bin for cynically killing the ball and skipper Ian Morgan put over the simple penalty.

Although Camborne had the wind at their backs they were unable to put together any sustained periods in the visitors' half. Full back Morgan, however, reduced the arrears with a well struck 15th minute penalty from fully 40 metres and soon after put his team in front with a huge penalty from near the half way line.

This lead was short lived as the home backs were caught offside and Davies slotted the resulting penalty for a 9-10 scoreline.

Camborne's forwards, prompted by their excellent scrum half, Brett Wakfer, then put the visitors under pressure in front of the grandstand. From a lineout on the Cleve 22 metre line flanker Martin Woolcock took a clean catch and the home pack drove their heavier opponents to the try line. Joining the maul was diminutive fly half Seb Berti who emerged from the pile-up to claim a try giving Camborne a four point lead.

On the half hour the visitors responded with a well-worked second try through left wing Tom O'Leary, rounding the home cover to touch down under the posts. Davies' conversion made the score 14-17 and minutes later Morgan was just wide with another long range effort leaving Town three points down at the break.

With all to play for Cleve started the second half strongly and went further ahead in the 50th minute. Berti's attempted chip out of defence was charged down by hooker Matt Parfit who fed lock Steve Hunt to romp over for a try well converted by Davies to open up a ten-point lead.

Urged on and prompted by Berti, Camborne took play to the visitors half for a spell. Cruelly, a 65th minute attack broke down with an interception by replacement scrum half Ian Price who raced fully 70 metres unopposed for the decisive try again converted by the accurate Davies.

Down but not out the home side hit back from deep in their own half with a 50 metre burst by the promising Victor Oniyide-Frampton before feeding on to No 8 Ali Durant and linking up again to give a scoring pass to right wing Kelvin Smitham for a try in the scoreboard corner.

Trailing 19-31 Camborne received a hammer blow with five minutes remaining when Davies coolly sent over a penalty to put Cleve out of sight with his 19th point of the match.

There was still time for injury time consolation for Camborne when Berti made a delightful individual break through the Cleve defence before chipping ahead and winning the scramble for the ball to touchdown his second try.

Camborne: I Morgan, K Smitham, V Oniyide-Frampton, D Roberts, L Smitham (rep A Fisilau 70m), S Berti, B Wakfer, N Endean, A Smith, A Bartle (rep S Macdonald 66m) L Pengilly (rep T Thatcher 66m), S Oates, M Woolcock, D Kennedy, A Durant.

Referee: Mr D Sinclair (Dorset and Wilts RS)