Nottingham 24 Cornish Pirates 17 - Match Report

Merry Men Hood The Pirates

Nottingham 24 Cornish Pirates 17
Sunday March 2nd 2008

Report By Phil Westren

Nowadays anything but generous to opponents, the third-placed 'Merry Men' of Nottingham confirmed their status as the most improved team in the division by beating am in-form Cornish Pirates side at Meadow Lane on Sunday afternoon.
The platform for their victory laid in the first half, when they applied sufficient squeeze in important areas which ultimately forced the Pirates to give away too many kickable penalty opportunities.

The Pirates team showed one change from the one that started at Bedford last time out, Mark Ireland returning from injury to replace outside centre Paul Devlin who had sustained an ankle injury at Goldington Road.

Right from the start the Pirates were forced to show sound defensive qualities, grateful when the penalty signal went their way to enable fly-half Gareth Steenson to clear the danger.

Keeping possession, good work from Ireland and his midfield partner Steve Winn, and then lock Bruce Cumming, ended with scrum-half Ed Fairhurst avoiding wanabee tacklers and running in from fifteen metres, his fifth minute try at the posts converted by Steenson.

"Ed Fairhurst running in from fifteen metres"

Nottingham's response was purposeful, the half-back pairing of Tim Usasz and Ben Thompson calling the shots to bring dangerman centre Tim Molenaar threateningly into play. Important tackles were made by Pirates wing Rhodri McAtee and prop Dan Seal, but when the pressure created eventually forced the visitors to stray off-side, full-back Dave Jackson stepped forward to slot the simple penalty chance on offer.
The Pirates, like Nottingham, refused to be subdued, it no surprise to witness the occasional feisty moment. Hooker Rob Elloway and Nottingham's Kiwi skipper Chris Hammond were both spoken to in one altercation, but no further action was taken by the referee.
When the Pirates again strayed offside, Jackson punished them once more, there nearly a quarter of the game gone and this contest as close as everyone expected.
When the next penalty was gifted the Green & Whites, the range was perhaps just beyond taking another kick at goal. However, the option of kicking down the line for a catch and drive would ultimately derive benefit. Yes, the Pirates had done their homework on how to best deal with such threats, but when Nottingham launched a secondary advance and let the ball free, winger Alex Dodge set up Thompson a try that put the home side ahead. Jackson kicked the conversion, with the Pirates then introducing Brian Tuohy to proceedings after McAtee had to depart injured

Nottingham had by now shown all the signs that they were a dominant force, flanker Luke Sherriff and lock Nic Rouse outstanding performers, their side and deserving of the a lead which was increased with three further points from a penalty, given again for offside, kicked by Jackson in injury-time which made it 16-7 at the break.

A good start to the second half would help the Pirates cause, there certainly signs that it was in them to get back into the game, exemplified by lock Heino Senekal and Fairhurst.