8:15pm Wednesday 3rd February 2010
By Sportsdesk
Some things are just not supposed to happen, like estate agents becoming lovable or politicians telling the truth or a British tennis player winning a grand slam final. Or Redruth being thrashed at home. The Country Ground may be no longer the absolute impenetrable fortress of recent seasons but bewildered and dazed home supporters were left scratching their heads and dredging their memories to recall when the Reds had last suffered a five try-hammering at home.
The answer is against old derby rivals Penzance and Newlyn. Not quite in the days of rationing, but still way back in 1991 - two years before their young debutant fly- half Aaron Penberthy was born.
Penberthy, who kicked an early six points and converted the final late consolation try, was awarded the home man-of-the-match but it must have rung a bit hollow in even his callow ears.
For the Greens were simply better man-for-man, position for position and superior in every aspect. They dominated throughout, crushed the life of Redruth up front, found consistent space wide out and - after a couple of early misfires - finished with a mixture of impressive precision and power.
A bemused Redruth were no match for the Greens, even with a momentary 16th man on the pitch. And when mounting vexation boiled over and they suffered a second yellow card at the end of a touch-line fracas it was hot-headed full-back Lewis Vinnicome not one of the Red’s frustrated, gnarled, old forward battlers who ended in the bin.
Indeed so complete was the Wharfedale grip at the breakdown - where the Green back row of Baldwin, Maka’afi and Solomi were respectively faster, more physical and far more technically skilful than their counterparts - that the Redruth pack long before the end were reduced to mere uncontesting bystanders at the tackle area.
And this from a pack traditionally happy to trample over anything that moves. Wharfedale opened brightly with five minutes of exemplary controlled play but Redruth were first on the scoreboard with an opening penalty and neat drop goal from Penberthy.
But with the new front row of Mason, Hindle and Steel the Greens were secure enough to provide good enough set possession to allow Hodgson free-running midfield pace from scrum ball and Wharfedale were soon threatening real trouble to the home defence.
With Adam Mason’s eager early support to Baldwin’s attack at the breakdown the backs were presented with some perfect possession.
An early chance went begging at the end of a delicious break by Hodgson but when the Wharfedale pack, with locks Allen and Renton providing the power, produced a spectacular 30-metre driving maul to the line the Greens were not to be denied.
Though the initial drive was halted with Renton felled, and needing facial stitching which removed him from the fray, slick handling by Hodgson and Malherbe saw Luke Gray glide over near the post for Bedworth to easily convert.
Minutes later Hodgson carved through to send winger Ian Dixon clear to outpace a retreating defence for the Greens’ second try, again converted by Bedworth.
Redruth’s response was a clumsy raised foul forearm challenge on Baldwin which resulted in Mark Bright’s sin-bin dismissal and the chance for the Wharfedale forwards to set up another try-scoring opportunity, finished in powerful style by James Tincknell to leave the Greens in control 19-6 at the break.
With the breeze at their backs and the famed hell-fire corner to exploit fly-half Bedworth lost no time in pressing home the initiative with some expert game-management based on consistent, well-directed kicking to the corner.
With Redruth increasingly kept on the defensive Wharfedale pressed home their superiority. Gray sent over a 40-yard drop goal from wide out. With the home resistance wilting there followed the best try of the game and with it the highly unexpected bonus point. A 30-yard touch-line break was finished off in spectacular style with some neat-timed close inter-passing at speed involving Malherbe, Hodgson and the quick hands of Chris Steele to set up Tincknell for his second.
With both sides throwing on the full complement of subs in a burst of hectic attack Wharfedale added a fifth try when Maka’afi strolled over with the home defence stretched by successive flowing movements.
Though Redruth had the final scoring word when Bright powered over the moment of final token defiance could not conceal the rare and real stuffing suffered by his side.
So the third successive double over opponents and a full haul of 15 points from three matches since the New Year restart sees the Greens in fine fettle and restores them to fourth in the table, overtaking Cambridge in the process.
With the side back at full strength they are playing well with the prospect of building even better. So it’s a shame there are crucial absentees on Saturday for the re-arranged fixture at Esher. WHARFEDALE: L Gray; J Tincknell, A Hodgson, C Malherbe, I Dixon (S Horsfall 71); M Bedworth, S Cottrell (D Matthews 76); A Mason, G Hindle (M Chivers 51), C Steel (S Graham 72), O Renton (R Brown 16), A Allen, L Maka’afi, D Solomi, R Baldwin.
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