Camborne rattled up 25 unanswered second half points to come from 15-17 down to win a pulsating local derby against Redruth in this traditional Boxing Day encounter.

Redruth chose to rest the bulk of their league starting line-up and the hosts were without four regular threequarters yet both teams contributed to an eight try spectacle.

Outstanding for the home side were fly half Seb Berti and lock Sean Oates whilst centre Lee Curnow and prop Sam Heard were prominent for the visitors.

In front of a crowd of over 1,000 the Reds had wind and slope advantage in the first half. An early flurry of fists ended with Camborne wing Kelvin Smitham sent to the sin bin.

Centre Chris Sidwell fired the resulting penalty well wide, but flanker Victor Norman followed up to touch down a try wide out. The visitors soon went further ahead with the driving play of the forwards bringing a try for skipper Nathan Pascoe converted by scrum half Jason Pengilly.

Coming into the game Camborne opened their account on 15 minutes with a try by flanker David Roberts after several charges for the line by Tongan centre Mo Oto Ota. A penalty from near the posts by home skipper Ian Morgan in the 27th minute reduced the arrears to 8-12.

As half time approached and wing Les Smitham now spending 10 minutes in the bin, Redruth capitalised with lock Steve Instance being driven over for a third try and a nine point lead.

There was still time for the Cherry and Whites to hit back before the break when Berti sent out a long pass to centre James Richards to split the defence and score under the posts with full back Morgan converting for a 15-17 half time scoreline.

Eleven minutes into the second half Oto Ota turned up on the left wing to collect a pass from Roberts to round off a flowing home handling move with a corner try. Morgan converted majestically from the touchline giving his side a five-point lead.

On the hour Oto Ota surged fully 40 metres from inside his own half before Berti deftly chipped ahead and on the line acrobatically collected his own kick to touch down Town's fourth try.

Four minutes later a second Morgan penalty from close range gave the Cherry and Whites a 30-17 advantage.

With ten minutes remaining Oto Ota received his marching orders from referee David May after an incident in midfield.

Camborne were not finished, however, and when Morgan fielded a wayward clearance on half way his pass sent Les Smitham on a weaving 50 metre run for a sparkling try with Berti stepping up to slot the angled conversion.

On the final whistle Morgan stroked over a 40 metre penalty from head on to the posts to complete a convincing home victory.

Camborne - tries: Roberts, Richards, Oto Ota, Berti, L Smitham

Cons: Morgan 2, Berti

Pens: Morgan 3

Redruth - tries: Norman, Pascoe, Instance

Con: Pengilly

Sin bin: K Smitham

Sent off: Mo Oto Ota

Camborne: I Morgan (capt) K Smitham M Oto Ota, J Richards, L Smitham, S Berti, D Mankee, R Worden, A Smith, A Bartle, L Pengilly, S Oates, D Roberts, D Kennedy, A Durant.

Reps (all used): C Hewitt, S Macdonald, N Endean, M Woolcock, and S Richards.

Redruth: M Creedon, N Thomas, L Curnow, C Sidwell, D Barber, M Churcher, J Pengilly, J Wright, J Geraty, S Heard, S Instance, N Pryor, N Pascoe (capt) V Norman, J Arnold.

Reps (all used): M Dawes, B Priddy, D Guffick, D Kirk, and S Harrison.

Referee: Mr D May (Cornwall Society).