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Second Half Comeback Lifts Morale
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Cornish Pirates 23 Exeter Chiefs 32
Sunday September 14th

Phil Westren

In a match when the Cornish Pirates looked down and out at half-time, there was much to admire in their second half performance.

Indeed, having come back to take a one point lead after being 22-3 down at the break, an unlikely chance of victory was genuinely theirs before the Chiefs found their form again at the end to ultimately emerge deserved winners.

Chris Cracknell

For the Pirates, wing Aisea Havili was making his league debut for the club, whilst Matt Evans was selected on the blindside flank in place of fellow South African Bruce Cumming, who was named on the bench.

In opposition, two former Pirates, fly-half Gareth Steenson and flanker Chris Cracknell were making a quick return to the 'Rec' following their move east across the Tamar in the close season.

Match underway, it was the Pirates who made a good start and had an opportunity to post the first points of the match on the scoreboard, but fly-half Doug Sanft's eighth minute penalty kick from 38 metres fell just short of the posts.

Former Pirate flanker Chris Cracknell 

Play flowed from end to end, with Sanft's pass to Havili on the left providing an opportunity for the large crowd to witness an example of the pace expected from the powerful Tongan.

However, when the Chiefs countered the Pirates were penalised for not releasing, it gifting an opportunity for Steenson to now open the scoring. His penalty strike from 35 metres out was well within his range, it successfully slotted, as was also a second penalty chance that soon followed.

Josh Drauniniu

This mid first half period was one when the Pirates were well and truly under the cosh, the midfield running of Exeter centre Matt Cornwell, a former Leicester and England U21s player, creating havoc as he set up a converted try scored by full-back Sean Marsden.

Fiji and Royal Navy winger Josh Drauniniu, playing in his second season for Exeter, was again making an impression, his running setting alarm bells ringing once more, and when the Pirates strayed offside a third Steenson penalty put the visitors 16-0 up.

 

Josh Drauniniu again making an impression 

The Pirates endeavoured to respond through the efforts of Havili, No. 8 Bertrand Bedes, lock Heino Senekal and scrum-half Ed Fairhurst, and when a position was created from where a penalty chance was awarded in front of the Exeter posts, Sanft duly kicked the points on offer.

Three points gained, from the restart sadly it was a case of three then being given away, as Steenson was given another penalty opportunity, which he took, as he did with the very last kick of the half, that a thumper of a penalty struck from over five metres inside his own half, which made the scoreline read 3-22.

The home crowd were understandably despondent, knowing now that if their team was to have any chance of getting back into this match then they would need to score early in the second half.

When the action resumed, there were immediate signs that a likely half-time 'pep' talk had done no harm, with determined wing Marika Vakacegu unlucky not to gather the ball and go clear to the scoreboard corner.

Iva Motusaga

From pressure maintained, Sanft was given another penalty chance which he successfully kicked, it now clear that if the Pirates could score quickly again then morale about would be given a mighty boost.

The Pirates were now playing their best rugby of the match, them transformed and about to deliver a try craved for, it scored by replacement flanker Iva Motusaga.

Sanft added the extras and then kicked three points after Exeter skipper Richard Baxter was yellow carded.

Replacement flanker Iva Motusaga 

Down to 14 men, the visitors could then quite easily have then had a second player sent off, which would have really made it interesting, but awarded a penalty the Pirates were at least able to apply themselves with continuing force and vigour at the clubhouse corner.

Motusaga slipped defenders

A second try scoring opportunity looked 'on', and it one taken when Motusaga slipped defenders to snipe over for a score that was joyously celebrated.

Now just a point behind, there was complete hush about when Sanft lined up a difficult conversion from out wide.

He would have been forgiven if it had missed, but he did not disappoint, and the Pirates were quite amazingly 23-22 ahead.

Motusaga slipped defenders to score 

Could the home team hang on? The answer, unfortunately, was no, as the match was to end with the Pirates cruelly denied even a bonus point after a converted try from Drauniniu was followed up by a sixth penalty of the match from Steenson.

This Saturday the Pirates will literally make a flying visit to Otley, knowing that they must display more of what was seen in the second half against Exeter, and realising also that it is a game that they simply must win.

Cornish Pirates:
A. Winnan (capt - R. McAtee78), M. Vakacegu, P. Devlin, T. Luke (S. Winn 62), A. Havili
D. Sanft, E. Fairhurst, B. Bedes, C. Morgan (I. Motusaga 51),
M. Evans (I. Motusaga 21-28 B. Cumming 44), B. Gulliver, H. Senekal
S. Heard (D. Seal 44), R. Elloway (D. Dawidiuk 67), A. Paver.

Replacement (not used): N. Griffiths.

Exeter Chiefs:
S. Marsden, N. Sestaret, B. Rennie (S. Ward 73), M. Cornwell, J. Drauniniu, G. Steenson
K. Barrett (C. Stuart-Smith 67), R. Baxter (capt), A. Miller (R. Pugh 78)
C. Cracknell (T. Johnson 69), D. Tuohy (T. Skelding 76), L. Stevenson, J. Andress (D. Parkes 78
N. Clark (S. Alcott 57-57, 79), C. Budgen.

Yellow card: R. Baxter.

Scorers

Cornish Pirates - tries: Motusaga (2); cons: Sanft (2); Pens: Sanft (3).

Exeter Chiefs - tries: Marsden, Drauniniu; cons: Steenson (2); pens: Steenson (6).

Referee: Rowan Kitt (RFU)

Man of the match: Bertrand Bedes

Attendance: 4,913

Match Day Sponsors: Ocean BMW and Midas Construction

Match Ball Sponsor: Western Electrical

 

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