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Spirited Cornwall were seen off by promotion chasing Swinton with the Lions scoring eight tries to the hosts two.

A fast start from Allan Coleman’s men saw the home rearguard breached three times in the opening quarter. 

However, a tactical reshuffle from the Choughs meant they were much improved from that point onwards and therefore, Neil Kelly’s charges were perhaps unfortunate to not gain more than 10 points for their endeavours.

Memorial Ground chief Kelly was forced to make several changes from the side which lost at title elect Keighley Cougars six days previously.

There was some good news with full-back Liam Whitton returning after a hamstring strain meaning Harry Aaronson could return to his favoured wing position.

Decarlo Trerise was ruled out with a hand injury meaning his place was taken out wide by Christopher Chard.

Adam Rusling was required by parent club Hull Kingston Rovers and Matty Turton partnered Joe Purcel in the halves. 

Up front, former Redruth rugby union star Brad Howe was handed his first start alongside Myles Tate with Nathan Conroy taking over at hooker. With Luke Collins (suspended) along with Jake Lloyd and Sam Gilder (both injured) unavailable, Kelly moved quickly to bring in hooker Cole Connolly from Rochdale Mayfield who started at interchange. 

The back three of Aaron Thomson, Charley Bodman and Louis Collinson that started at Cougar Park kept their places and on the bench, alongside new recruit Connolly, prop Paul Bolger returned. 

The game was less than 90 seconds old when Cornwall were handed a temporary numerical advantage when prop Louis Brogan was dispatched to the bin by referee Matthew Lynn for a late hit on home stand off Matty Turton.

From the resulting penalty, Cornwall gained good ground and forced a repeat set. However, the Choughs’ early promise came to nothing as the wind assisted drop out was ruled to have found touch, despite Thomson appearing to keep the ball in play.

From the turnover, Lewis Else found Mitch Cox and Swinton were up and running. Cornwall didn’t help their own cause during the opening 40 minutes and after a knock-on in the hosts’ 20, Dan Abram went in out wide.

The visitors were rampant at this stage and Else powered his way over and with Abram kicking his second conversion from three attempts, Swinton led 16-0.

Kelly then thrust his captain Jamie Prisk into the fray in place of Turton and this galvanised Cornwall. Prisk was directly involved in Cornwall’s first try when his offload was snared by Aaron Jones-Bishop who did the rest.

That gave Cornwall hope but it was dashed nine minutes before the break when Jack Hansen’s towering bomb wasn’t dealt with and Brad Holroyd picked up the scraps to dot down.

Just before the siren, home prop Paul Bolger was sent to the bin for a dangerous tackle with the decision from merry whistle blower Lynn looking harsh at best.

After the interval, Swinton’s man of the match Rhodri Lloyd scored his team’s fifth try but shortly after, Cornwall had a clear score incorrectly chalked off by Lynn. Debutant Connolly burrowed his way across the line from acting half but Lynn thought otherwise.

Jordan Case kept the Swinton tally moving just shy of the hour mark before Hansen scored the try of the match, latching onto Abram’s brilliant offload.

Else bagged his second of the afternoon as the final 10 minutes approached but Cornwall dug in and it was the men in black and gold who finished strongly.

Prisk capped a fine individual display to score under the posts with Joe Purcell converting. 

The game did finish on a sour note though with a melee after a Cornish high tackle. Somehow Lynn failed to spot Max Roberts’ clear punch on Bodman although the incident was placed on report. 

Cornwall: Whitton, Aaronson, Jones-Bishop, Ashton, Turton, Purcell, Howe, Conroy, Tate, Thomson, Bodman, Collinson. Interchange: (all used) Prisk, Beer, Connolly, Bolger.

Tries: Jones-Bishop, Prisk. Goals: Purcell 1/2

Sinbin: Bolger – dangerous tackle

Swinton: Abram, Kirkbright, Roberts, Lloyd, Lepori, Else, Hansen, Brogan, Wilkinson, Hatton, Gregson, Cox, Charnock. Interchange: (all used) Brickhill, Case, Holroyd, Jones. 

Tries: Cox, Abram, Else (2), Holroyd, Lloyd, Case, Hansen

Goals: Abram 5/7, Hansen 1/1

Sinbin: Brogan – late hit

Referee: Matthew Lynn; Touch judges: Peter Wroe and Guy Pallett; Reserve referee: Will Gilder.

Attendance: 1046