Resilient Reds battle through adversity to reach last four

HARTPURY head coach Mark Cornwell rued his side’s failure to capitalise on a one-man advantage as they slipped to cup defeat in Jersey.

The visitors trailed by just five points at the start of the second half when home lock Sean O’Connor saw red for a dangerous clear-out, but Jersey raised their game and finished convincing winners.

“It was like we lost a man rather than Jersey, it seemed to affect us more,” Cornwell said. “They managed to hold us out, we made some errors and the game petered out.”

Set-piece dominance had been a key factor, Cornwell added, with the Reds forwards asserting themselves in this second-leg tie having largely failed to do so in the previous week’s drawn match in Gloucestershire.

In contrast, Jersey DoR Harvey Biljon was buzzing after seeing his side secure a home semifinal against Coventry or Doncaster.

“We had to deal with quite a bit of adversity through first-half injuries and the red card, but the squad showed real character and resilience,” he said.

Eoghan Clarke’s mauled try, following an early scrum penalty, gave the hosts the lead, but Hartpury replied in kind through Will Britton, taking the lead as James Williams converted.

Scrums were becoming a real headache for the visitors and could have prompted a second yellow card after Charlie Foley was despatched to the bin earlier for a deliberate knock-on. In the event Tim Grey barged over powerfully under the posts from another scrum, although the No.8 was stretchered off with an ankle injury shortly after, joining No.9 James Elliott on the casualty list. Reds stood tall after O’Connor’s exit and within two minutes had stretched their lead as James Mitchell took a high ball and raced forward, with the ball passed rapidly through three more sets of hands to reach Dan Barnes, who cut inside to score.

Brendan Cope helped his side pull clear with a conversion and two penalties, the second of which saw Hartpury’s Britton binned for cynical play at the break- down. Jersey’s maul remained an attacking weapon and the pack eventually rumbled over for a try by TJ Harris and the visitors grabbed a consolation try through Foley.