BOURNEMOUTH lost further ground in their flailing bid to stay in National Two South after suffering a 21-10 setback at Redruth.

Ben Priddey’s hat-trick for the hosts inflicted a 13th straight league defeat on Lions who found themselves 14 points adrift of safety by the end of play.

Murray Westren kicked an early penalty to edge the Cornish club in front before Bournemouth’s Karim Lynch was sin-binned inside the opening six minutes.

Redruth piled on the pressure and scored the opening try when Priddey forced his way over in the left corner following good work from colleague Chris Fuca.

Lions struggled to escape the famous Hellfire corner but broke to score through John Peart, his second try in as many matches, to hand his side a lifeline.

Westren’s penalty made it 11-5 at the break, while Priddey’s second try eight minutes after the restart gave Budge Pountney’s men a mountain to climb.

Bournemouth bagged another try through Jack Metters on 55 minutes but any hope of a late surge was quashed with 16 minutes to play as Priddey finally touched down through a sea of Redruth bodies powering their way towards the line.

Lions laboured in their efforts to hit back with knock-ons and failed attempts from tap-and-go penalties frustrating the visitors in the closing stages.

Lions: Westcott, Roberts, Lynch, Sutherland, Stewart (Berthonneau, 70), Metters (Pollard, 70), Hardcastle, Terry, Wilford, Manning, Peart (Hennings, 55), Fuller, Rees, Grace (Scott, 75), Booth. Unused replacement: Spikings.