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Richmond 15

Cornish Pirates 28

25 November, 2017

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League / Cup

Greene King IPA Championship Rd 10

Stadium

Richmond Athletic Ground

Attendance

987

Home

Richmond 15

Away

Cornish Pirates 28

Martin (woll) Woollatt

The Cornish Pirates’ ‘RAG Week’ concluded satisfactorily as the Cornishmen righted not only the wrongs against the Exiles eight days earlier – but the frustrations of over six years of woe at this famous old rugby ground.

That they did it against an in form Richmond – who humbled them twice last season – and were looking to capitalise further their top half of the table position; made this fourth victory of the season that bit sweeter.

A bitterly fought encounter – on a bitter afternoon in West London – was in the balance until the final quarter, when the Pirates finally managed to wrassle full control from the hosts.

In fairness, they’d managed to edge proceedings from the beginning – when a positive opening yielded the first of Cargill’s two penalties as early as the 7th minute.

The lead was only a brief one however – ten clicks later and the home side were finally granted their first real opportunity. Woodward duly obliged in the left hand corner from Simpson-Hefft’s subtle offload – a manoeuvre that sadly came at a cost to Pirates full back Toby May. His collision with the flying winger forced his early withdrawal. Namesake Laurence manfully filled the void.

Being behind – for the one and only period in the match – didn’t seem to perturb the visitors unduly and their response proved effective. Immediate pressure told. Richmond centre, Mitchell, blinked – leaving the man in the middle, Dean Richards, with little alternative but to bin the centre for ten for his wayward handwork.

Both sides however – came into this game with the Championship’s worst disciplinary records.

The gloss of Tom Duncan’s try in the aftermath of Richmond’s drop in personnel numbers was soon dimmed somewhat, with compadre Will Cargill leaving the field in unison with the home side’s skipper, Will Warden. Not exactly hand in hand you understand – after it all went hellup when Alex Day found himself being thrust up into the Heathrow flightpath – feet first.

Still a man up regardless – the Pirates successfully managed to negotiate the remainder of the half. More so in fact, as they engineered a further three points – the zingy right boot of May doing the do. Half time and 13-7 to the good would suffice.

It needed too. Richmond emerged for the second half resplendent in white – their gold hoops losing the battle of the gold tops with the Cornish away strip. No doubt teasy from this change of attire – they quickly closed the gap back to three – Chisholm’s penalty from just inside the Pirates’ ’10’ flying through the uprights.

The Pirates – needing to snuff out any talk of prolonging their hoodoo – began to ramp matters up. Reinforcements were deployed and one of them – Walker – emerged from the bottom of a maul after the hour claiming the spoils. Others, including Duncan, Cowan-Dickie & Cooper, all being mentioned in despatches in the immediate aftermath. Cheeseman’s changing room intervention – rather like his effectiveness around the breakdown all afternoon – resolving the mystery post match!

Concentration was still required though – particularly when Woodward went over the whitewash again – as the Pirates were caught napping in their warm glow.

It mattered not. Overdrive was engaged in those final ten minutes, when the result was left in no doubt. Cargill’s penalty five minutes from time may have sealed things – but there was still time for a final flourish.

Cargill’s break may have ended just short of the line – O’Meara’s presence merely finished off this decisive move.

Praise too for the Pirates opting to tap and go and sniff out a potential 11th bonus point instead of hoofing the pill in the direction of HQ.

Pity this final play fell just short of it’s intended outcome. Bare bones squad wise or no – the Pirates are heading predominantly forwards these days.

Match Officials

Referee:

Dean Richards

AR1:

Nick Marshall

AR2:

Matthew Daubney

No:4:

Philip Davies

Assessor:

Bob Scott

The Line Ups

Richmond Starting 15

15

Ali Chisholm

14

Jono Woodward

13

Cameron Mitchell

12

Ronnie McLean

11

Jordan Simpson-Hefft

10

Freddie Gabbitass

( 20

James Swan)

60

9

Luc Jones

( 19

Rhodri Adamson)

74

1

Jeremy Cunnew

( 22

Joe Tarrant)

73

2

Ross Grimstone

( 16

Jason Phipps)

35

3

Craig Trenier

( 17

Will Goodrick-Clarke)

63

4

Will Warden (c)

5

Chris Davies

6

Jesse Liston

( 18

Harry Edwards)

63

7

Jack Allcock

( 21

Toby Saysell)

68

8

Jake Parker

Substitutes

16

Jason Phipps

17

Will Goodrick-Clarke

18

Harry Edwards

19

Rhodri Adamson

20

James Swan

21

Toby Saysell

22

Joe Tarrant

Tries

Jono Woodward

17

Jono Woodward

67

Conversions

Ali Chisholm

18

Penalties

Ali Chisholm

49

Yellow Cards

Cameron Mitchell

19

Will Warden

25

Cornish Pirates Starting 15

15

Toby May

( 22

Laurence May)

18

14

Alex O'Meara

13

Pete Laverick

12

Nicolas De Battista (c)

( 20

Nicholas Coronel)

77

11

Kyle Moyle

10

Will Cargill

9

Alex Day

1

Billy Keast

( 18

Marlen Wlker)

63

2

Tom Cowan-Dickie

( 16

Danny Toolan)

75

3

Christian Judge

( 17

Jack Andrew)

54

4

Rupert Cooper

5

Toby Freeman

6

Chris Fuca

( 19

Kieran Westlake)

76

7

Alex Cheesman

8

Tom Duncan

Substitutes

16

Danny Toolan

17

Jack Andrew

18

Marlen Walker

19

Kieran Westlake

20

Nicolas Coronel

21

Mike Pope

22

Laurence May

Tries

Tom Duncan

22

Marlen Walker

64

Alex O;Meara

77

Conversions

Will Cargill

23

Will Cargill

65

Penalties

Will Cargill

7

Laurence May

36

Will Cargill

74

Yellow Cards

Will Cargill

25