Having
beaten Rotherham Titans and Moseley away in their last two league outings, this
victory that followed at lowly Newbury on Saturday made it three such wins on
the trot for the Cornish Pirates, and with an important bonus point bagged in
each. A late change in the Pirates line-up from
the side originally selected, saw the experienced Dan Seal replace an unwell Sam
Heard at tight-head prop. Soon going 3-nil down when fly-half
Gareth Griffiths, who had a spell playing for Redruth last season, slotted a penalty
on offer, the Pirates struggled to play with any cohesion. As at Moseley the previous
week, they were slow out of the blocks and their error count was disappointingly
high. One bonus, however, was their apparent supremacy at the scrummage, where
Seal had slotted in comfortably, besides him also being one of the more conspicuously
effective performers about. Again, as at Moseley,
when the Pirates at last clicked into gear, it was on about the half-hour mark,
with scrum-half Nicky Griffiths helping to provide a spark once more. After good
work from such as full-back Marika Vakacegu, wing Jimmy Moore and prop Alan Paver,
a position was eventually created from where recycled ball went through the hands
of livewire Griffiths to No. 8 Bertrand Bedes, who powered over at the posts.
Some might have thought the score an apt celebration of a French win against Wales
in Paris the previous evening, but at Newbury's Monks Lane ground there would
be no playing of 'La Marseillaise'. The
try by Bedes was converted by fly-half Rhys Jones, as the Pirates now proceeded
to play in the dominant mode sought. Indeed, it was not long before Bedes and
Griffiths confirmed the fact that their side was back in business, with the latter
again impressive as he added to his try-tally. Jones added the extras. Finishing
the first half strongly, with the efforts of Paver, Vakacegu and centre Steve
Winn noted, it was then Moore who all of a sudden displayed audacious skill to
boot a dying pass ahead and beat a numbed Newbury defence to score a try at the
corner. Jones missed the difficult conversion from out wide, but was then on target
with superbly struck penalty from half-way which gave the Pirates a 22-3 points
half-time lead. With
a win already all but secured, for the Cornish Pirates a bonus point providing
fourth try was now their focus. It was a point no doubt stressed in the changing
rooms at half-time, and it one clearly taken on board, as just two minutes into
the second half the Pirates extended their lead with a well-taken try scored by
hooker Darren Dawidiuk. After Jones added the conversion
to Dawidiuk's try, he was then on target with his second penalty of the match
which resulted from the Pirates applying increased pressure upon Newbury at a
scrummage. A period of apparent indiscipline from both sides
ensued, which led to referee Mr. Tutty busily searching for 'yellow' in his pocket.
On four separate occasions he extracted the card, showing it in order to lock
Mike Burak (Pirates), lock Brad Mockford (Newbury), flanker Chris Morgan (Pirates)
who was playing against his former club, and wing Martin Nutt (Newbury). Not surprisingly,
and with all of this entering the time when replacements were being introduced,
the flow of the game broke up. The Pirates managed to create
one more converted try, it a second for Jimmy Moore which was set up and finished
on the right thanks to a fine pass delivered by his fellow wing Aisea Havili.
However, and again as at Moseley the previous week, the Pirates also leaked a
try at the end, when Newbury's replacement fly-half Ben Stevenson scored and converted
his own late effort. Three league wins away on the trot,
and with a bonus point gained from each, has to be satisfying, but with it likely
that Bedford will provide a much sterner test at the Recreation Ground, Camborne,
this Sunday. Third-placed Bedford have huge incentive to win this coming weekend's
match, as they will not only be looking for revenge for the Pirates having beaten
them 26-6 on their home ground last November, but they'll also be desperately
keen to achieve a victory that will boost their chances of an important top four
finish - which, of course, is something that the Pirates themselves will again
be eyeing. Newbury:
C. Perry, R. Crane, N. Scott, M. Humphries,
M. Nutt
G. Griffiths (B. Stevenson 59), W. Gasson (T. Kessell 48), J. Phillips,
S. Fox (R. Noonan 57), J. Bentall (capt - M. Lee53)
B. Mockford, I. Ascroft-Leigh,
T. Fidler (P. Fincken h/t), J. Clark, R. Green (H. Pendleton 68). Replacements
(not used): C. Ridgers. Yellow cards: Mockford, Nutt. Cornish Pirates:
M. Vakacegu, A. Havili, P. Devlin, S. Winn (M. Ireland 74), J. Moore
R.
Jones (S. Whatling), N. Griffiths (E. Fairhurst 74), B. Bedes (M. Evans 59), S.
Betty (B. Cowan 59), C. Morgan
B. Gulliver (capt), M. Burak, D. Seal (S. Franklin
53), D. Dawidiuk, A. Paver (P. Cook 60). Yellow cards: Burak, Morgan. Scorers:- Newbury
Try:
Stevenson
Ccon: Stevenson
Pen: Griffiths. Cornish Pirates
Tries: Moore(2), Bedes,
Griffiths, Dawidiuk
Cons: Jones (4)
Pens: Jones (2). Referee: M. Tutty
(RFU)
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