Cornish Pirates

And so, for the Cornish Pirates first game in 2008 it was a visit to Sharmans Cross Road, Solihull, an away win surely on the cards against a side that had only won two of 17 matches played in this campaign, and who are clear favourites to be relegated along with the bottom-placed Cornish All Blacks.

Logical thinking? yes, though at this level there is never any guarantee of victory. The Bees have also juggled with coaching personnel of recent, and changes, as we all know, can often bring about a change in fortune. Be assured, it was essential that the Pirates, who won 43-20 at home in September, took nothing for granted.

The Pirates once again made a number of changes in their starting line-up, including recalls in the backs for full-back Adryan Winnan, wing Rhodri McAtee and centre Steve Winn. In the forwards Rob Elloway was handed the hooking duties and Matt Evans returned to the back-row.

In an encouraging opening period to this game the Cornish Pirates went 10-0 up with less than a quarter of an hour on the clock. The first points came when fly-half Ollie Thomas fired over a penalty, with him soon after converting a try scored by his half-back partner Ed Fairhurst who darted to the line after the Pirates had set themselves in a good attacking position with a scrum close to their opponents line. It was a set-back for the home side, them needing to score next and doing just that when fly-half Paul Knight kicked a penalty on offer.

"Ed Fairhurst who darted to the line"

As the weather suddenly deteriorated the Pirates were soon under pressure once more, and although skipper Tim Cowley looked to have foiled a likely scoring opportunity, the Bees created sufficient pressure for the Pirates to concede a second kickable penalty which Knight struck cleanly between the posts.

Despite the conditions the Pirates were looking purposefully positive, and had a will to give the ball some air, with centre Paul Devlin making a dashing run with support given by industrious lock Heino Senekal.

At the set piece Cowley and Fairhurst worked well in tandem and Winn was delivering with his accustomed defensive qualities.

Approaching half-time both sides had scoring opportunities, Knight wide of the mark though with an attempted penalty chance, and the Pirates unlucky when wing Vunga Lilo almost intercepted.

At the start of the second half the Pirates looked to impose themselves further, their enterprise duly rewarded when a controlled piece of play was finished off by McAtee who slid and stretched to score a well taken try in the corner which was equally well converted by Thomas. On such a day a 6-17 scoreline could be deemed a case of game over, but were the Bees mortally wounded? If they were, then the Pirates could fancy their chance of seriously striving for a bonus point.

As it worked out the Midlanders were in no mood to collapse, centre Dave Knight always a threat, and brother Paul soon reducing the arrears with his third penalty goal of the afternoon.

McAtee appeared injured, his place out wide taken by replacement Jimmy Moore, but a bigger concern for the Pirates was about to materialise when referee Mr. Vertigan yellow-carded prop Peter Cook.

Pertemps Bees looked to reap immediate benefit from numerical advantage, setting up a driving maul that edged perilously close to the Pirates line. A knock-on gave the Pirates an opportunity to settle and relieve the pressure, but when the Bees suddenly snaffled back possession flanker Andy Daish was driven over for a try converted by Knight.

With there no just one point separating the sides, the home outfit were at a heightened buzz and keen to immediately re-apply the squeeze.

Travelling supporters raised noise levels in an effort to lift their side, but it was the home faithful who were about to be given cause to celebrate when the timber-bulk frame of experienced lock Mark Gabey crashed his way over the line for a converted try gave the Bees a 23-17 lead.

It was a dramatic turnaround, the Pirates well and truly punished for their indiscretions and mightily relieved when Cook trundled back on.

The Cornish team needed to up their effort collectively, and although some poor decision making almost put them further in trouble, a yellow card now issued to Bees lock Alex Davidson provided a chink of a chance to make the Bees pay. Tight, driving play was now the order of the day, before a position was set from where options were extended, included among them a piece of magic from replacement fly-half Gareth Steenson who opened up a gaping hole to run and score a try that he also converted.

"A piece of magic from Gareth Steenson"

Back in the lead, it looked like the Pirates were about to relinquish it again all but from the restart. Knight was presented with a not too difficult chance to nudge the Bees back in front after the Pirates were penalised at a scrum, but he pulled his effort wide of the posts.

Soon after, at the other end of a slippery Sharmans ground, it was a chance for Steenson to show how it's done. As he lined up his kick there was complete silence about, before an eruption of sound then made it clear that the Ulsterman's effort was successful.

For the remaining minutes it was vital that the Pirates kept control both in body and mind, to duly run the clock down - the period proving though to be immensely tense.

Earnshaw endeavoured to fire up his troops for one final assault, a severe test a certainty, but the Pirates holding out as their body-steamed defensive line refused to give way.

Holding out for victory took super resolve and character, with due credit also to the spirited Bees who had also played with passion and commitment throughout.

Pertemps Bees:
M. Vakacegu, R. Spee, A. Maggs, D. Knight, C. Mitchell, P. Knight, N. Griffiths, G. McComb
A. Daish (W. Kazombiaze 67), R. Earnshaw, M. Gabey, A. Davidson (sin bin 70-80)
P. Bucknall (J. Redinghuys 79), S. Pearl, M. Long (P. Osborne 79)

Replacements (not used): J. Aston, J. Higgins, J. Preece, M. Mangeolles.

Yellow card: A. Davidson.

Cornish Pirates:
A. Winnan, V. Lilo, P. Devlin, S. Winn, R. McAtee (J. Moore 53), O. Thomas (G. Steenson 56)
E. Fairhurst, M. Evans, I. Motusaga (S. McKeen 67), T. Cowley (capt - S. Heard 56-64), S. Hobson
H. Senekal, D. Seal, R. Elloway (D. Dawidiuk 60), P. Cook (sin bin 54-64).

Replacements (not used): S. Betty, R. Bolt.

Yellow card: P. Cook.

Scorers:-

Pertemps Bees
Tries: Daish, Gabey
Cons: Knight 2
Pens: Knight 3

Cornish Pirates
Tries: Fairhurst, McAtee, Steenson
Cons: Thomas 2, Steenson
Pens: Thomas, Steenson.

Referee: A. Vertigan (RFU

Attendance: 670

Press Gang Man Of The Match Tim Cowley