Cornish Pirates

Cornish Pirates 34-14 Dundee High

British & Irish Cup Round 5

Sunday January 13th 2013
Mennaye Field Penzance

Woll's Match Report

From the moment Hallett’s deft little grubber kick put the ever physical Sam Hill through, for the first of six Pirate tries with less than three minutes ticked off; the eventual outcome of this 5th pool 3 tie was never in doubt.

In the process the Cornishmen, as expected, secured their place in the last eight knowing that, by avoiding defeat next week in Carmarthen, their quarter final will be at the Mennaye.

Beforehand though, there was today’s business to attend to, against a Dundee side determined to give a good account of themselves. By and large this was achieved and despite the disappointment of Scottish International, Rory Lamont, failing a late fitness test. A blow for sure for High, but more importantly, for the crowd who had looked forward to seeing the flying back continue his return from that horrific injury 11 months ago.

Our loss! Although the entertainment served up by both sides went a long way towards compensating, even if the deliberate and sometimes forced disruption to the home sides patterns and shape cost them more scores.

But this was an afternoon to relax a bit and savour. How could we not, with the hosts finishing the contest with an all Cornish front row and Tom Duncan enjoying his debut marauding off the back off the usual strong pack?

It was their patience in the final quarter that handed the impressive Lyons with what effectively was the decisive score in the Newlyn Gate Corner. Despite Bedford’s protestations post match that announcer Phil’s award of the 5th try to the winger (by then fly half) at the time, had been the accurate one. Mind with tee kicking like that the only honourable option would have been to have conceded the credit!

Before such luxuries however, the visiting Scottish Premiership side had had to be broken down first, after their reposte to going behind so quickly, had put the goal kicker Steele, into a position three times to keep his colleagues in touch. Two of his three first half attempts succeeded to reduce the margin to a single point.

It wasn’t to last long. The chip & collect by Hallett only three minutes later had the Pirates back on track at exactly the right moment. Whilst the excellent work from the fly half; again; and Riley put Burgess through for the easiest of dot downs after a move covering 60m of the pitch.

The half time tea now tasted that bit sweeter.

Supped and with cups washed up thoroughly; another penetrating move ended with eventual Man of the Match, Davies, getting the first of his two tries in the Newlyn Gate Corner.

The floodgates creaked with 35 minutes still left to play…or did they?

Once more Dundee regrouped and stepped to make a fight of it. Steele added three more, but the chance of something better remained elusive, as Jnr added his frame to an already muscular defence. By the time they did finally manage to find a gap for replacement prop, Robertson, to exploit; Bedf…Lyons had done the damage and less than five minutes remained.

Some disjointed play, slack accuracy and fussy officiating at times seemed to be the order of the day from then on, signaling we assumed, no further additions to the score.

Step up that man Davies however with other ideas, as the experienced full back found himself isolated, or so it seemed with three defenders looming into his line of vision. The line at the Old Western National Corner was surely only a faint hope. His change of direction did the business though and the same three defenders were, in the blink of an eye, out of the equation of performing the ‘dead fly dance’.

We can take that. Can’t we?

Cornish Pirates
15 W. Davies  14 T. Bedford  13 T. Riley (22 J. Fatialofa 46)  12 S. Hill  11 B. Mercer  10 K. Hallett (20 T. Duncan 48) 9 T. Kessell  8 P. Burgess (21 G. Cattle 64) 7 A. Cheesman  6 B. Maidment  5 G. Johnson (capt)  4 D. Lyons (19 J. Tyas 64)  3 B. Prescott (P. Andrew 58)  2 D. Semmens  1 R. Storer(18 P. Joyce 51)

Replacements: un-used 17 R. Elloway

Tries: Hill, Hallett, Burgess, Davies 2, Lyons

Cons: Hallett 2

Dundee High 
15 Jamie Urquhart  14 Andy McLean  13 Harry Duthie (Capt) (Callum Bowie 48)  12 Jack Steele  11 James Johnstone  10 Brandyn Laursen  9 Robbie Lavery (20 Andy Dymock 34)  1 Steve Longwell  2 Darrel Russell  3 Alan Brown (18 Gav Robertson 64)  4 Andy Redmayne  5 Richie Hawkins (19 Andy Linton 54)  6 Danny Levison  7 Iain Wilson  8 Richie McIver

Replacements: un-used 16 Cain Whittaker, 17 Ryan Milne, 21 Douglas Gray

Tries: Robertson
Pens: Steele 3

Match Officials
Referee: Neil Perkins (WRU)
Assistants: Nick Williams, Dino Maddern

Attendance: 1536
Man of Match: Wes Davies

Attendance: 1,536