Six of the team did enough in the 15-10 defeat to earn a county call-up, with Hampshire U18 selector and manager Tim Allen over on a watching brief, bringing Jersey’s representation for U17s and U18s to seven.
Penryn once again provided superb competition and the well-matched sides cancelled each other out time and time again.
But after Jersey centre Dan Lezala was presented with a rare gap to score from 18 yards out in the second half, it seemed that Jersey, once again with a powerful display from the pack, would go on to avenge Thursday evening’s 7-0 defeat in a trophy match.
The visitor’s excellent No 10 Taron Peacock reduced the deficit to four points with a close range penalty, Stephen Phelan having converted Jersey’s try from under the posts, but the seven-point advantage was restored with a 20-metre Mark Livesey penalty.
But Jersey were put under late, concerted pressure and referee Dave Harrison had no choice but to sin bin prop JP King, for constant team infringements, for the closing minutes.
The numerical advantage probably proved decisive in Penryn’s Will Paine gaining a pushover try in the left-hand corner, but with Peacock missing a difficult conversion, a 10-8 home victory, with only seconds remaining, was still the most likely outcome.
Jersey’s failure to see out the final seconds, needlessly conceding a penalty then comically failing to deal with a hopeful, hoisted kick to the half-way line, which Peacock collected to send full-back Alex Stuthridge in under the posts, clearly frustrated the Island team and their coaches Mick Mayo and Bob Shambrook.
But, performance wise, it has been an encouraging start to the season, with county call-ups for the following adding to the Moore Management-backed youngsters’ confidence: U17s: Paul Mourant (prop), Ryan Bisson (lock) and Mark Livesey (full-back); U18s: Tom Faulkner (threequarter), Luke Le Sueur (wing) and David Felton (flanker) are joined by Hartpury hooker Luke Fisher.
