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| Winn Finds A Way To Beat The Blues | ||
On a weekend of sporting surprises, this was one game at least that lived up to its pre-match expectation of being a closely fought affair. The result, in the balance right to the final whistle, was achieved against a very good Bedford side, the ingredients for a success a mixture of ability, self-belief and undoubted team team spirit. Bathed in sunshine under a cloudless blue sky, the expectant crowd gathered at Goldington Road always knew this could go either way, it also remembered that when the teams had last met at Camborne in October, the Pirates just managed to hold out for a narrow 19-18 victory.
The Pirates team, one that has played with welcome flair and fashion of recent, showed one change from the one that started against Esher, with centre Paul Devlin, who replaced an injured Mark Ireland in the first half against the 'EEEs', retaining his midfield place alongside Steve Winn. First to make meaningful yards was Bedford flanker Nic Strauss, given support by prop James Graham and No. 8 James Lumby. The Pirates endeavoured to counter-attack from inside their own'22', but without success, succumbing to pressure inflicted upon them for wing James Pritchard, a Canadian international and former Plymouth Albion player, to comfortably slot the simple penalty chance on offer. The Pirates response was positive, them showing a belief and willingness to play an expansive game, wing Jimmy Moore busy and linking with lock Bruce Cumming on the stand side, as the visitors took play to the left corner.. There was a set-back when the Pirates lost the services of Devlin midway through the first half, the club's top try-scorer replaced by Brian Tuohy who was quickly into the match action, making and taking advantage of space created, but without due reward,. Strauss was having a stormer for the 'Blues', and although Bedford gained no initial benefit when opting for a catch and drive on the left, another simpler penalty chance at goal was not spurned, Pritchard putting the hosts 6-0 up. Still believing in themselves, the Pirates appeared to up the tempo from the restart, creating a fine first try of the game scored by flanker Iva Motusaga after all hands were involved in a sweeping left-right-left-right movement up field. Fly-half Gareth Steenson converted, and then followed this with a fabulously struck penalty from wide on the left, it following an incident when Pirates flanker Chris Cracknell and Bedford scrum-half Karl Dickson were yellow-carded, the latter apparently for punching. Delighted to be 10-6 up at the break, and with the chance of using the field's slope to their advantage in the second half, there was cause for optimism until the Pirates all but immediately went a further man short when Motusaga was penalised for coming in from the side. Pritchard duly posted the three points on offer The scoreboard read 9-10, but more importantly for Bedford they now had a 14-13 advantage in playing personnel, and were looking to make the numerical difference count, with locks Mouritz Botha and Arthur Brenton potent ball carriers along with Lumby. It was now all Bedford, the Pirates first grateful to Winn for showing his defensive qualities by forcing Botha into touch on the left, and then to full-back Adryan Winnan for clearing the ball high to chase, the play then halted when Winnan's opposite number, Brendan Burke, had to unluckily depart proceedings with what looked like another ankle injury. A drop goal attempt from replacement Ben Patston went close to giving the home side back the lead, and although it missed, the Blues still kept up the pressure. It seemed just inevitable that the Pirates would infringe, and so it proved for a Pritchard penalty to make it 12-10. A fifth successful strike by Bedford's man of the match Pritchard soon extended their lead, and with the Pirates not having looked close to scoring in the second period, many expected the worst. Hopes were hardly raised when prop Dan Seal had to depart with a blood injury, it demanding a recall for prop Alan Paver who hobbled off injured at the end of the first half, ans was now forced to hobble on for probably the last few minutes of the match. There little prospect to recover one minute, hopes were then suddenly raised when Motusaga made a burst to the Bedford line, only to be tackled without support on hand. The chance might well have been the Pirates last to sneak the result, but this was certainly not accepted by the players on the field.
A determined midfield charge by skipper Tim Cowley, leading by example, put his men more firmly on the front foot , the ball moved left to Jimmy Moore and then back through the hands to Goldington Road's very own 'Hell Fire Corner'. Replacement scrum-half Richard Bolt and hooker Nathan Kemp played important roles, along with wing Rhodri McAtee and Winnan, before Winn this time showed finishing prowess to score a try that brought the scores level. If the home crowd was stunned, and all but the Pirates supporters were, with the score at 15-all there was still the small matter of a difficult conversion attempt to follow. The effort from replacement Ollie Thomas would decide the outcome, him the coolest man about as he stepped forward in hushed silence. It would be an attempt that demanded respect - a case of wait a few seconds, look at the posts, step one-two-three, and boom, his effort sailing straight through the posts to snatch what minutes earlier had looked an unlikely victory.
Referred to as the 'Comeback Kings' last season, the class of '07/08 had delivered.
Alan Boase Presents Press Gang Man of The Match To Steve Winn Bedford: Yellow card: Dickson Cornish
Pirates: Replacement (not used): Scott Hobson Yellow cards: Cracknell, Motusaga Scorers:- Bedford
Cornish Pirates Referee: Dale Newitt (RFU) Attendance: 2,539
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