| | | | | Cornish
All Blacks 3 Cornish Pirates 15 Monday November 17th Phil
Westren |
Having beaten
the Cornish All Blacks 49-7 in their Cornwall RFU Skinner's Brewery Super Cup
opener played at the Mennaye Field in September, the Cornish
Pirates followed this up with another victory in this return encounter played
at Polson Bridge on Monday evening.. It was a
case once again of both sides using the contest to provide important match time
to squad players, with the Cornish Pirates also drafting in a number of their
'Amateurs', who all performed well. On a wet might near
Cornwall's border with Devon, the home team opened the scoring when former Exeter
player Adam Staniforth slotted a penalty on offer. The Pirates
looked to create scoring opportunities of their own with Simon Whatling, who was
making his comeback after being out of the game for 14 months with a shoulder
injury, orchestrating events. He looked sharp and able playing at fly-half, but
in a feisty encounter was also yellow carded. As the first
drew to a close, discipline levels continued to be tested, with the Pirates then
going permanently down to just 14 men when flanker Sam Betty was shown red by
referee Simon Lane, for what appeared a head butting offence. It
was a set back, but the Pirates response was to suddenly conjure up a score that
would given them a lead at the break. Young full-back Richard Bright had impressed
throughout the first forty, and it was he who made the telling yardage to set
up a try for Tongan wing Aisea 'Ice' Havili, which was converted by Whatling. Playing
with the advantage of the elements in the second half, the Pirates dominated,
but with it still feisty. The home team actually had three players yellow-carded
during the period, with there also one more 'Pirate', prop Paul Andrew, receiving
similar punishment.. Havili celebrated his return to playing
action with a second try of the game as play had entered the last quarter, and
there was a penalty too kicked by Doug Sanft, who was another player keen for
game time and who had showed up well. Cornish All Blacks: T.
Elliott, J. Marlin, J. Murphy (capt), A. Staniforth, A. Collings (L. Patterson
60), M. Provis, I. Wilson (M. Dibble 77), J. Brandling-Harris, G. Smith (L. Duke
32, D. Manns 60), J. Heaver, B. Jenkins, S. Pape (L. Duke 72), M. Manton (T. Hurdwell
72), D. Semmens (A. Webb 72), J. Bolt (A. Knight 60). Yellow cards: Provis,
Manton, Knight. Cornish Pirates: R. Bright, A. Havili, M. Ireland
(B. Davey 69), D. Sanft, K. James (A. Hall 60), S. Whatling (A. Hall 59), R. McAtee
(S. Winn 70), M. Evans, S. Betty, W. Davey, T. Somers, S. Heath, S. Heard (D.
Seal h/t, P. Andrew 69), P. Cook (capt), P. Andrew (A. Gwennap 60). Red
card: Betty. Yellow cards: Whatling, Andrew. Scorers: Cornish
All Blacks - pen: Staniforth. Cornish Pirates - tries: Havili (2); con:
Whatling; pen: Sanft. Referee: Simon Lane (RFU)
The Cornish
Pirates next match in the 'Super Cup' competition is scheduled at home against
REDRUTH on Monday 1st December. It is a match which will be played under floodlights
at the Mennaye Field, Penzance (ko 7.30pm), with supporters reminded that the
clubhouse will be open before the game and where refreshments (including curry
& chips) will be for sale |