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| Pirates Continue To Entertain | Match
Sponsor 'Western Electrical' | After
a four week break without a home match, Cornish Pirates supporters welcomed a
return to National One action at the Recreation Ground, Camborne, last Sunday,
their side recording a convincing 36-10 points victory, with a 6-1 try-count in
their favour, against potentially dangerous opponents. In
welcoming a side to Cornwall that was perilously close to the relegation zone,
the Pirates knew that they could take the challenge of fourteenth-placed Sedgley
Park lightly. | 
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The
'Tigers', labelled as the survivors in National One in recent seasons, likely
dangerous opponents who would be scrapping it out for survival once more.  | The
Pirates were forced to make a number of changes from the side that played at Nottingham
the previous week, there certain players injured or needing rest. It
was still, nonetheless, a strong looking outfit, where in the outsides wing Vunga
Lilo, centre Brian Tuohy and fly-half Ollie Thomas were given starting roles.
With Tim Cowley taking a spot on the bench, Chris Cracknell
led the team, playing alongside fellow flanker Sam Betty and No. 8 Matt Evans
in the back-row. | | "
Chris Cracknell led the team" |
Sam Heard, who
has been out injured for several weeks, was delighted to get his chance at tight-head
prop. It was a colourful scene just prior to kick-off, representative teams
from Bosvigo, Charlestown, St. Newlyn East and Treloweth Primary Schools forming
a funnel from the tunnel for the Pirates to run out of. After the whistle
was blown to start the match, however, it was Sedgley Park who started brightly,
a penalty kicked by fly-half Phil Jones putting the visitors 3-0 up in the fifth
minute. The Pirates looked to respond quickly, Evans, Thomas and lock Bruce
Cumming, following an interception, all making yardage.  | Sedgley
Park looked to peg the Pirates back by taking advantage of the strong wind on
their backs, but in the twentieth minute it was the Pirates who conjured up the
first try of the match after Heard had made a bullish, trademark carry.
From the breakdown the ball reached livewire wing Jimmy Moore who found space
to link with Cumming who put Lilo in for a try at the scoreboard corner.
The conversion attempt by Thomas from out wide was not easy, it no surprise to
see it held up in the wind. | | "
Cumming put Lilo in for a try" |
Upping the tempo
further, good play again by Moore and Thomas, the latter high-tackled, saw the
ball then moved deftly through the hands of prop Peter Cook who sent full-back
Adryan Winnan in for another unconverted score. The Pirates were in the
mood to let it flow, playing some fabulous rugby at times, before there was a
lengthy break in play which saw visiting centre Luther Burrell stretchered off
with an apparent neck injury.  | Back
to action, the elusive Moore wriggled his way magically out of tackles, with momentum
maintained by Cracknell and Evans, and lock Heino Senekal who was held up over
the line. Set in a good position
just to the left of the posts, when the ball was released centre Steve Winn picked
an angled gap to cross for try number three. Oone
again unluckily unconverted as the attempt rebounded off a post to leave the scoreline
15-3 at the break. | | "Steve
Winn picked an angled gap for try No. 3" |
Looking
for a bonus point, the important foruth try needed was scored eight minutes into
the second period, man of the match Sam Betty's burst supported by skipper Cracknell
whose converted try now made it 22-3. A fifth Pirates try looked likely,
first following a rampaging run from Evans, and then from Winnan who tore down
the left touchline.  | Seconds
later Lilo was almost over on the right, before all the promise bore fruit when
replacement hooker Darren Dawidiuk raised an arm in celebration even before going
to ground for a try once again converted by Thomas. The
Pirates managed one more converted try, scored by Moore, who somersaulted in celebration,
before the valiant Tigers hit back at the end with a deserved try of their own,
the club's top try scorer, wing Chris Briers, taking his tally for the season
to 11, it a score magnificently converted by Jones. | | "Maiden
Try For Darren Dawidiuk" |
It had once again
been an entertaining game, enjoyed by supporters and players alike, all of whom
will be looking forward to the visit of fourth-placed Doncaster on Easter Sunday.
Cornish
Pirates:
A. Winnan (S. Parsons 70), J. Moore, B. Tuohy (R. McAtee 60),
S. Winn, V. Lilo
O. Thomas, E. Fairhurst (R. Bolt 68), M. Evans, S. Betty
(T. Cowley 80)
C. Cracknell (capt), B. Cumming (S. Hobson 68), H. Senekal,
S. Heard (D. Seal 55)
R. Elloway (D. Dawidiuk 55), P. Cook. Scorers:-
Tries:
Lilo, Winnan, Winn, Cracknell, Dawidiuk, Moore
Cons: Thomas 3
Sedgley
Park:
C. Hall, J. Van DeVenter, F. Payne, L. Burrell (M. Riley 30),
C. Briers, P. Jones
C. Leck (J. Albinson 55), J. Skurr, A. Newton (D. Livesey
69)
J. Crous (E. Norris 53), G. Townsen , T. Fourie (capt), M. Halsall (P.
du Plessis 48)
J. Roddam (G. Roberts 48), A. Livesey (D. Birchall 51).
Scorers:-
Try:
Briers
Con: Jones
Pen: Jones Referee: Nick Williams
(RFU) Man of the Match: Sam Betty Attendance: 2,410
Match
Ball Sponsors
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