Having completed their first set of Premiership Cup games, on returning to Championship league action the Cornish Pirates secured this hard-fought and morale boosting win. In Round 6 it was just their second in a competitive match encounter this season, which followed an opening 24-18 victory away to Nottingham in September.

On a mistily damp evening, the eleventh-placed Pirates welcomed sixth-placed Chinnor to the Mennaye Field for a first-time meeting at senior level. Nicknamed ‘The Villagers’, having gained promotion to the Championship at the end of last season, Chinnor have impressed. Their Director of Rugby is former Harlequins & England forward Nick Easter, who must be delighted to see how his team have performed. However, he was though less pleased when Chinnor and Cambridge were not included in this season’s Premiership Cup competition, a decision that many feel was appalling, but with credit to the two sides for then deciding that they would play each other in the ‘Not the Premiership Cup’!

Anyway, for this match the Cornish Pirates made four changes in their starting XV from the one that faced Hartpury away in the Cup the previous weekend. There were returns for Billy Keast at loose-head prop and Bruce Houston at fly-half and, with Harry Yates named to partner Charlie McCaig in the centre, Matt McNab moved out on the wing.

One thing highlighted right from the start of the match was the noise generated by Chinnor’s enthusiastic supporters, which was at a level seldom heard. Also, in their ranks, they had three former players who have spent time with the Pirates in the past. A South African, wing Kieran Goss, made 48 appearances for the Pirates a few years back, whilst last season both centre Epi Rokodrava and flanker Harry Dugmore were on loan from Ealing Trailfinders.

Match underway, it was immediately clear that the visitors would prove a difficult hurdle to overcome. Well led by talismanic skipper Willie Ryan, they showed physicality and would threaten. However, it was the Pirates who opened the scoring in the twelfth minute when, following a good passage of play inside Chinnor’s ‘22’, wing Matt McNab did well to score an unconverted try at the old Western National Corner.

Chinnor responded with a cleanly struck penalty from fly-half Connor Slevin that sailed between the Penzance posts, as pressure was maintained upon the Pirates for whom hooker Sol Moody deserved credit for displaying determination with ball in hand.

Aussie full-back Will Feeney looked a slick performer for ‘The Villagers’, as he showed when winning a kick chase to score a converted try that gave his side the lead.

The Pirates’ defence was tested time and time again, but it was at least an area where they deserved credit, before a second successful penalty strike from Slevin made it 5-13 at the break.

Into the second period, pressure created by Chinnor was relentless. Thankfully, the Pirates still showed character, with their man of the match flanker Josh King, and Moody, again to the fore, and a converted try by sharp running wing Arthur Relton narrowing the deficit to just one point.

It was now Pirates supporters who were making themselves heard. There was still though work to do, and especially so after they lost replacement prop Billy Young to the sin bin. The sniff of a chance to achieve the much sought after victory was though very much in the air.

Okay, this was no classic, but it was enthralling, with tension levels then taken to new heights following a superb 50:22 that was directed long to the clubhouse corner by full-back Will Trewin. From the resulting line-out the Pirates drove close to the line, and maintaining pressure were eventually awarded a penalty. It was certainly kickable, and seemingly to dispel any thoughts of taking another possible option the tee quickly appeared for Houston to make it 15-13.

There was still time for Chinnor to hit back, and in time remaining centre Charle McCaig was yellow carded, but the Pirates ultimately held out for a fully deserved and much sought after victory. Phew!

Commenting after the match, Cornish Pirates’ joint head coach Gavin Cattle said:

“Under pressure in certain areas against a good Chinnor outfit, we needed to come out on the right side of a game like that, and it was a relief to get the monkey off our back.

“It was difficult out there for both teams, a bit greasy, and there were errors, but we found a way, showed we are learning, and most importantly our attitude and willingness to graft the game out shone through, and was of credit to the boys.”

Cornish Pirates:   15 Will Trewin (22 Iwan Price-Thomas, 69)14 Arthur Relton 13 Charlie McCaig 12 Harry Yates 11 Matt McNab 10 Bruce Houston 9 Cam Jones (21 Dan Hiscocks, 51); 1 Billy Keast (17 Billy Young, 54) 2 Sol Moody (16 Harry Hocking, 66) 3 James French (18 Jay Tyack, 16) 4 Charlie Rice (3 James French, 61; 4 Charlie Rice, 69) 5 Eoin O’Connor (19 Matt Cannon, 54) 6 Josh King 7 Will Gibson 8 Hugh Bokenham (captain).

Replacements (not used):   20 Tomi Agbongbon, 23 Robin Wedlake.

Yellow cards:   17 Billy Young (59) 13 Charlie McCaig (78).

Chinnor:   15 Will Feeney 14 Grant Hughes 13 Morgan Passman 12 Eparama Rokodrava 11 Kieran Goss (23 Ryan Crowley, 69) 10 Conor Slevin 9 Luke Carter (21 Callum Pascoe, 69); 1 Keston Lines (17 Ethan Clarke, 54) 2 Alun Walker 3 Rob Hardwick (18 Tim Hoyt, 54) 4 Scott Hall 5 George Shaw (19 Alfie North) 6 Harry Dugmore 7 Kieran Curran (20 George Stokes, 49) 8 Willie Ryan (captain).

Replacements:  16 Will Cave 22 Nick Smith.

Scorers:

Cornish Pirates – tries: 11 Matt McNab (12) 14 Arthur Relton (55);            con: 10 Bruce Houston (56); pen: 10 Bruce Houston (74)

Chinnor – try: 15 Will Feeney (27); con: 10 Connor Slevin (28);                     pens: 10 Connor Slevin (20, 39).

Referee:   Alex Thomas

Assistants:   Calum Howard & Kevin Williams

Tribute ‘Man of the Match’:   Josh King

Thatchers ‘Try of the Match’:   Arthur Relton

Attendance:   1272