A tremendous team performance by the reds full of skill, tenacity and guts and comfortably their best of the season so far saw Redruth bring home a bonus point win from a pulsating game in Suffolk, reports Ed Bawden.
There were a number of outstanding displays for the reds, Brett Rule was man of the match, controlling the game well, kicking 15 points including a cracking conversion from the right hand touchline as well as cutting down anyone who ventured into his defensive channel.
Redruth were under a lot of pressure in the opening quarter making many tackles but they showed their attacking capability with four cracking tries in the 17 minutes leading up to half time. Bury came out fired up for the second period and two tries in the opening eight minutes of the second half brought the score back to 19 -26 but the reds held on despite losing Jack Oulton to a bizarre red card with 14 minutes to go.
In the final quarter the reds scrum was on top with England counties under 20 forwards Tommy Phillips and Todd Prisk outstanding as Rule calmly kicked three penalties all just to the left of the posts to see the reds home.
On a grey overcast day, the hosts had the better of opening quarter although Declan Matthews on his first start for the reds had a good run and the reds were turned over on the line.
Some good play from the home side ended with giant winger Michael Mellett touching down an unconverted try after 22 minutes.
This was the cue for Redruth to unleash some devastating play that ended when Shaun Buzza powered over the line from close range for an unconverted try to level the scores three minutes later.
Alex Ducker and Lewis Vinnicombe were revelling in having space to work in and good handling by the reds saw Chris Fuca take a pass from Vinnicome to go over for a try converted by Rule after 29 minutes.
Another weaving run from Ducker led to a try for Neilson Webber that Rule converted and with half time approaching Oulton broke the line and gave a good pass for Vinnicombe to go race over in the right hand corner, Rule potting the extras from the touchline to send Redruth in 21 points clear.
Bury came out early for the second half taking play to the reds line before centre Sam Sterling found plenty of space to go over near the posts for Scott Lyall to add the extras.
Three successive penalties saw the hosts pile on the pressure before former Taunton player Ben Turner went over following a ruck on the reds line, Lyall converting to make it a seven point game after 48 minutes.
In the reds first attack of the second half Rule kicked a penalty following an offside after 56 minutes but Lyall hit back immediately with a 35 meter penalty.
A second Rule penalty following a dominant scrum gave Redruth a 10 point cushion before a crucial couple of minutes, first after Redruth were awarded a scrum near their line Oulton was shown the red card. Bury ran the ball looking to cash in on the man advantage, Mellett appeared to drop the ball as he dived into the right hand corner, the Referee confirming events with his assistant Andrew Jackson before calling for another scrum to the reds.
Three penalties to the reds in the final ten minutes gave them territory and Rule put over a penalty with 6 minutes to go to calm the nerves of visiting supporters, although Ashley Lawton was shown a yellow card with two minutes to go for killing the ball.
Bury St Edmunds 22 pts
Tries: Mellett, Sterling, Turner
Con: Lyall 2
Pen Lyall
C Lord; J Bodkin, S Sterling, T Rock, M Mellett; S Lyall, H Brown; L Palmer, D Collind (Capt), C Griffiths, B Enoka, B Turner, S Bixby, S Stapleton, M Edison
Reps all used N Bingham, T Trinder, C Birrell, C O’Reilly, S Vunivesilevu
Redruth 35 pts
Tries: Buzza, Fuca, Webber, Vinnicombe
Con: Rule 3
Pen; Rule 3
Red Card: Oulton
Yellow Card: Lawton
A Ducker; L Vinnicombe, S Parsons (Capt), N Webber, D Matthews (Rep P Nonu 57 min); B Rule, J Oulton; T Phillips, M Gidlow, C Williams (Rep J Tompsett 28 Min), T Prisk, S Buzza, B-J Chapman, C Fuca (Rep (A Lawton 44 min), K Marriott
Reps not used S Stevens, A Wright
Ref Alexis Manley (RFU)
