DEPLETED Bournemouth played with a "beach ball" at Launceston as head coach Will Croker made his first Lions matchday squad in more than six years.

The visitors – who had flanker Jack Hennings red-carded in the second half – suffered an 8-7 defeat in conditions which left the match ball caked in mud.

Despite the defeat, fourth-placed Lions are just three points off the second promotion spot in National Three South West with five games remaining.

Explaining the chain of events which led to Croker's inclusion, backs coach Jon Sanchez told the Daily Echo: "We had a phone call from Chris Elliott about 11am saying he couldn't get there so Chris Jeffes had to jump in his car and drive down to provide cover.

"Alex Everett-Bolter injured his fingers in the warm-up and needed stitches, which meant Chris Jeffes had to start and it was either me or Will to go on the bench.

"I retired two years ago and if I was in any type of shape I would have done it, but Will put his hand up so I wasn't going to stop him!"

On an unforgiving playing surface, Bournemouth lost Hennings to a sin bin in the first half.

It was Launceston who made the breakthrough when flanker Brandon Rowley drove over for an unconverted try.

Lions responded on the stroke of half-time when a three-quarter move allowed Freddie Gleadowe to cross the whitewash. Adam Davies judged the swirling wind perfectly and added the extras.

After the contest resumed, Hennings was dismissed just short of the hour and Launceston kicked the resultant penalty, which proved the match-winner.

Courageous defence for the remainder of the game allowed the visitors – who handed debuts to Mike Davies and replacement Joe Spiller – to take a losing bonus point back to Dorset.

Sanchez continued: "We went away thinking it was another one which had slipped by the wayside but in those conditions it's so tough.

"However much you would like to exploit the space out wide, when the ball is the size of the beach ball because there is so much mud around it, skill set goes out of the window. It's about who gets the opportunity first.

"There wasn't any expansive rugby at all. It came down to us not taking our chances. We had more of the ball in their half but didn't capitalise.

"It wasn't a day for the backs, it was a forwards game and we just dipped out. When the weather is like that, it becomes a lottery."

Lions host fourth-placed Camborne on Saturday in a crucial meeting in the promotion race.

Sanchez added: "If we get a decent result against Camborne, who knows? It's a big game. Where we finish is really down to us."

Lions: Boyd, Jeffes, Gleadowe, Chislett, Roberts, A Davies, Hardcastle, M Davies, Richardson, Firetto, Treloar, Kenneally, Hennings, McDonald, Manning. Replacements: Soden, Spiller, Croker.