Dings rack up the points to celebrate lifting title
DINGS Crusaders clinched the title in great style with an emphatic win over Redruth.
Director of rugby Stean Williams said: “It hasn’t sunk in, but it’s been a journey that we have all been on together.
“We now look to Camborne in two weeks, but if you had asked me in the first month where we were going to be in the league we said the only way we can do this is to win every game – and here we are 20 games unbeaten.
“Finishing second last year, the only thing you can aim for is winning the following season, and maybe the pressure at the start was too much, but all the boys dug in.
“Looking back to the days at Landseer and speaking before the game to those who played with me there, Charlie (Taylor) Jake (Holcombe) and Joe (Hawkesby), who gained our last promotion, it’s great to see them still here and part of it.
“Lots of planning now, and work towards next season, and it begins now.”
Within the first minute, Dings were on the front foot with a kick chase and quick hands putting electric winger Solomon Taufa over the line, a try converted by Sam Worsley.
Redruth then coughed up a loose ball handing Dings captain Matt Smith a run in behind the sticks.
A Redruth scrum in Dings’ 22 was met by a surging pack and they found themselves on the back foot once more, Dings capitalising with a try for Worsley.
Battling Redruth, fired up after Dings infringements, opted for scrums in lieu of penalties and with Dings unable to form a defence, Chris Rovery crashed over to score for the visitors, converted by Dan Rutter.
Dings were back immediately though, and tries from from dominant second row Matt Lane, Oscar Lennon, and Joe Hawkesby – on his 300th appearance for the club – were all followed by Worsley’s boot to make it 38-7 at half-time.
There was a spirited start to the second half, with both teams attacking through the centre, but Dings’ Jake Holcombe made a devastating run through the broken Redruth defence, offloading to Lennon to go over.
Dings dominance continued as Harry Hone crossed, converted by replacement fly-half Jacob Perry.
With Redruth under pressure at their own line, Matthew Pritchard saw yellow with eight minutes left. The subsequent line-out drive saw replacement hooker and birthday boy Tommy Gollop go over for five more, before Taufa crossed again and, to seal the game and promotion, Perry converted George Boulton’s try.