FOLLOWING their win against Farnham Knights a fortnight ago, and the elation at the winning form of their youth Team Cornwall on Saturday, the Cornish Sharks had hoped to come away with a positive result from Bristol – a team they had beaten decisively twice last season.
However, with a reduced travelling squad of only 24 players, and seven of those rookies, the odds were not looking good when the coin was tossed and Cornwall were looking at Bristol's side-line with more than 70 players.
The first and second quarters were relatively uneventful and the scoreline demonstrated that.
Cornish Sharks and Apache both moved the ball when in their possession and defences remained tight keeping the score to 0-0 just before half-time.
Sharks were in possession about two minutes before half-time and they drove the ball some 60 yards with some great passing and running, especially from Ronan O'Neill and Matt Cann and Kieran Salais at quarter-back.
The ball was at the 25-yard line and on fourth down it was decided by coach Brian Smallworth to get the field goal unit on. Dave Kriehn kicked the ball 35 yards giving the Sharks the first score of the game and the half-time score at 3-0 to the Sharks.
The third quarter started and somehow the mood had changed. Bristol rotated players as they had every two plays on defense and their benefit of numbers was starting to show.
It was a very hot day and with little relief for the Cornish players, they started to run out of steam.
Bristol scored their first touchdown with a reverse in only a matter of minutes into the third quarter and it was the start of a defensive onslaught against a tired Cornish offense with blitz after blitz on the offense forcing mistakes which cost 24 points – two interceptions for touchdowns with two extra points on each, a safety and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
The rookies were unsettled until the fourth quarter when they stemmed the onslaught and changed the blocking schemes allowing only one further Bristol touchdown.
