Cornwall lose 40-16 to North Wales Crusaders in first home game of League One season

Cameron Brown blazed away from his own half for a superb solo score in the dying seconds and then converted the try from the touchline

Head coach Mike Abbott insists Cornwall "need to kick on" after they were swept aside by North Wales Crusaders.

The 40-16 defeat in a game switched to Truro College due to wet weather in Penryn was a second straight defeat to start the Betfred League One campaign.

The visitors led 22-0 at the break and 40-4 before two late consolation scores and Abbott said: "We have got to kick on, it can't just be words anymore.

"We're good enough to compete for 80 minutes, not just the final third."

The Colwyn Bay side ran in four tries in a one-sided first half, and though winger Harry Aaronson crossed out wide for his second score in as many games soon after the turnaround, last season's beaten play-off finalists added another three tries before Nathan Cullen crossed and Cameron Brown scored a blistering solo try in the closing stages to reduce the deficit.

After bossing the closing stages of their defeat at Keighley the previous week, Abbott said: "We hoped to kick on from our second-half performance last week but it didn't materialise.

"We had five or six penalties for not playing the ball correctly - we were just inviting trouble on us. With their pack and halves and fullback it's going to be a long day.

"It's really frustrating because those are things we are in control of, but the lads were honest in the changing room with each other.

"The teams in this league are too good to give 20-odd point starts. You're chasing and they are too good to do that. We have got to draw a line in the sand.

"It's our second game at that speed but we have got to kick on, we're a good enough team to be competing with North Wales for 80 minutes and not just the final third."

Meanwhile, Abbott said it was a "no-brainer" to install 20-year-old former Castleford and Hull KR youngster Adam Rusling as captain this season, adding: "He's matured, the lads respond to him. I'm made up to have him involved."

Rusling missed the Crusaders game after a gash to his leg in the defeat at Keighley the previous weekend.