To stay in the fight for chance of making the Elior Champ Rugby play-offs, late scores for the Cornish Pirates on Saturday secured this important bonus point win. Read on……

This seventh versus third Round 25 fixture was the Cornish Pirates final home league match of the season and, although rain arrived right at the start which impacted on fluidity, it did little to dampen spirits on what was a busy and enjoyably atmospheric afternoon at the Mennaye Field.

Both teams had real incentive to achieve a victory, including for the Cornish Pirates that they simply needed to win in their quest to ultimately get back into the top six in an endeavour to compete in the play-offs.

For the Cornish Pirates, team changes since their last outing saw returns to the side for wing Harry Yates, lock Matt Cannon, and number 8 Tomi Agbongbon, who was making his 50^th appearance for the club. Recovered from injury, scrum half Dan Hiscocks was named in the ‘9’ shirt and fit again lock Charlie ‘Buster’ Rice was included on the bench, as was experienced prop Ehren Painter who is on loan from Exeter Chiefs.

Getting off to a sound start, the Pirates opened their try account in just the third minute when, following a catch and drive, Matt Cannon forced his way over the at the scoreboard corner. Fly-half Arwel Robson added the extras with a well-struck conversion.

It was not long before the visitors levelled the scores when space was created to enable wing David Opoku-Fordjour to dive in for a try at the Newlyn gate corner. Brother of Sale and England prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour, his effort was converted by fly-half Tommy Mathews.

Wing-forward Allan Ferrie, who is off to Newcastle Red Bulls next season, also showed a burst of power and pace that sent home alarm bells ringing. However, after prop Matt Johnson was yellow-carded, it was a try scored by man of the match hooker Morgan Nelson that saw the Pirates regain the lead.

A superb long-range penalty, kicked by Mathews from all but on the halfway spot, narrowed the deficit for Coventry, but after a handling error gifted the Pirates possession it was an eager Harry Yates whose converted try scored wide out right – his twelfth of the season – made it 19-10 at the break.

Introduced to proceedings quite early in the second period, Ehren Painter was quick to make an impact before Coventry seemingly, and suddenly, hit the button to go into overdrive. Replacement prop Eliot Salt, who has represented Cornwall under 20s in the past, scored a converted try, and ‘Cov’ then took the lead when flanker Murray Davidson touched down to the right of Penzance posts. The conversion by replacement Josh Thomas gave his side a five-point lead.

A name to note in the Coventry team is that of their replacement hooker Will Dorrell. Just 18 years of age and making his debut for their team, he is a grandson of former Pirates prop and local farmer Jeff Thomas.

Would though hopes for the Cornish Pirates be dashed? Well, the answer from their spirited group was ‘No’, because they not only took the lead thanks to a converted try scored near the Newlyn posts by replacement Charlie Rice, but Robson also kicked a penalty to deliver a most pleasing victory. Home supporters were ecstatic, whereas Coventry’s travelling faithful could be forgiven for perhaps feeling a little forlorn. Yes, their team had at least secured a losing bonus point, whilst others will remember that their side has not won away against the Pirates since emerging 27-13 winners way back in August 1998.

Commenting at the end of Saturday’s contest, Cornish Pirates’ joint head coach Gavin Cattle said:

“The weather didn’t make it easy for either side and with the greasiness of the ball there were inevitably a number of unforced errors.

“As for the set piece, that was the king today but considering our scrum dominance I just felt we didn’t get the reward we deserved, which is something to look closely at.

“In such an important game there was inevitable pressure and  

a bit tight on the ball we were not as sprightly as normal, though we did look strong in that final third.

“We had approached it as being a Cup final, and it’s a testament to the boys who put their bodies on the line to the end. I’ll certainly take the win and with the format of the competition we go again next weekend.”

Cornish Pirates:   15 Iwan Price-Thomas 14 Arthur Relton 13 Chester Ribbons 12 Herry Ascherl 11 Harry Yates 10 Arwel Robson 9 Dan Hiscocks; 1 Billy Young 2 Morgan Nelson 3 Alfie Petch 4 Milo Hallam 5 Matt Cannon 6 Alex Everett (captain) 7 Jack Forsythe 8 Tomi Agbongbon.

Replacements:   16 Sol Moody 17 Ollie Andrews 18 Ehren Painter 19 Charlie Rice 20 John Stevens 21 Will Becconsall (all used); 22 Angus Mawson 23 Matty Ward (not used).

Coventry:   15 Tom Bacon 14 David Opoku-Fordjour 13 Oli Morris 12 Api Bavadra 11 Jack Reeves 10 Tommy Mathews 9 Sam Maunder; 1 Aristot Benz-Salomon 2 Jordan Poole (captain) 3 Matt Johnson 4 Sam Harding 5 Mackenzie Graham 6 Alan Ferrie 7 Murray Davidson 8 Morgan Strong.

Replacements:   16 Will Dorrell 17 Keston Lines 18 Eliot Salt 19 Dafydd-Rhys Tiueti 20 Morgan Adderly-Jones 21 Josh Barton 22 Josh Thomas 23 Ewan Baker (all used).

Yellow card:   Johnson.

Scorers:

Cornish Pirates – tries: Cannon, Nelson, Yates, Rice; cons: Robson (3); pen: Robson.

Coventry – tries: Opoku-Fordjour, Salt, Ferrie; cons: Mathews (2), Thomas;  pen: Mathews.

Referee:   Dan Jones.

Tribute ‘Man of the Match:   Morgan Nelson.

Thatchers’ Try of the Match:   Charlie Rice.

Attendance:   2058.

(Next up? For their final league game, the Cornish Pirates are away to Hartpury next Saturday (ko 3pm). With 73 points they are still seventh, Hartpury are sixth with 76, and Chinnor are fifth with 77. It should be an interesting afternoon!)