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Clevedon started in fine fashion, but an early set back saw Truro take the lead with a penalty. Clevedon took a while to settle and soon took the lead with a try by Mike Panoho following a drive from a lineout. Mike Lowis converted. Clevedon were now getting into their stride and a tapped penalty resulted in Owen Biggins going over under the posts with Lowis coolly converting. From pressure at the scrum the clearance kick by Truro was charged down and Tom O'Rourke scored a try in the corner, which Lowis converted from the touchline. Before the break Lowis kicked a penalty that ended the half with Clevedon not quite at their best, having lost possession far too often, but 24-3 in the lead.
The second half started with Truro in the ascendancy and they broke through the Clevedon defence with a converted try. This was a wake up call for Clevedon, who were putting in a workman like performance but whose ball retention could have been better. They were not playing as a team and there were too many individual performances. On cue, Clevedon started to perform at the level that is expected of them and a second try by Panoho from close range was converted by Lowis and he further increased the lead with a penalty. Clevedon were now completely in the driving seat and excellent approach work by Clevedon with slick handling and good support saw Lowis finish a great move with a try under the posts, which he duly converted for a 7 from 7 kicking statistic.
On the restart another superlative handling movement resulted in Christian Bushell going over in the corner for a try that Lowis converted. The restart saw Clevedon take a crafty kick off, resulting in a try by Tom O'Rourke, his second of the game on his 200th senior appearance for the club. Finally, another superb handling movement, initiated by stand-in scrum half Ashley Vailes, deputising for the injured Steve Johnson, put evergreen Tim Brooks away for a trot to the posts. Lowis converted to crown a brilliant second half performance by the whole team, with Vailes a revelation at scrum half and young debutant Matthew Bragg performing well in his twenty minute spell.
Next week Clevedon have a free weekend and the following week on RWC Final day are away to Cheltenham.
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