Cornish Pirates

POOL A

Cornish Pirates 22 Bedford Blues 18

Website match report /www.cornish-pirates.com

Bedford view www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk

Bristol 15 Plymouth Albion 3

As expected Bristol beat Plymouth Albion at the Memorial Ground on Good Friday but there was little about their performance to calm the nerves of the home faithful following a recent dip in form.

The home side took a seventh minute lead through a converted Redford Pennycook try but despite piling forward at every opportunity a stubborn Albion side kept them at bay and Bristol only added a Jarvis penalty before half-time for a 10-0 lead.

Albion were reduced to fourteen as Darren Clayton was sin-binned but still Bristol could not turn the screw sufficiently and Graham Dawe`s side finally got on the scoreboard with a Davies penalty after 52 minutes.

Despite only a score separating the two teams Albion could not do enough to claim their first try of the play-offs. With 14 minutes to go former Albion wing Lee Robinson added a third Bristol try to secure an unconvincing win.

Match report www.thisisplymouth.co.uk

Bristol head coach Paul Hull admitted to being frustrated by his team’s performance. He told the Evening Post, “We needed to win – and we've done that – but I'm also a little bit frustrated because we dominated all aspects of the game.

"Having done that, we then didn't show the composure and patience we normally have shown.”

He continued, “That was a theme throughout the day – we had a lot of possession and played some good attacking rugby: it was just that final pass or final bit of composure that let us down."

Full story www.thisisbristol.co.uk

POOL B

Doncaster Knights 19 Exeter Chiefs 21

Danny Gray`s long range penalty four minutes from time proved decisive as the Chiefs won a daramtic battle at Castle Park against the Knights.

Doncaster head coach Lynn Howells was clearly upset at the final whistle telling The Star, “It was very disappointing to lose because we had been the best team on the day.”

He continued, “We were the better side. I think that we surprised them with our tactics. We didn't kick the ball but elected to run it back at them, as we had done in the win over Nottingham the previous game, and I think that caught them out.”

Doncaster held a 6-3 lead until late in the first half after two James Brooks penalties against one from Gray, until Brian Rennie claimed the opening try for the Chiefs converted by Gray.

The Knights roared back early in the second half to reclaim the lead with a touchdown from Oli Goss but the Chiefs responded with Gray`s second penalty and a try from Nic Sestaret.

Now trailing 18-11 the Knights again responded quickly and a further Brooks penalty was followed by a try from wing Andy Wright gave them a one point lead with ten minutes to play.

Gray`s late penalty once again snatched the momentum back for the Chiefs and they closed the game down in the dying minutes to make sure of victory.

Full report www.thestar.co.uk/rugbyunion

Match winner Danny Gray told the Express & Echo, “As everyone's proved so far, home games are crucial and winning on the road is proving difficult for people.

"This was a big step forward for us and it is really good that the boys came through. There was a lot of pressure but we handled it quite well. It was really important that the boys didn't go away from what we knew would win the game.

"We didn't try anything stupid, we just did what we knew would get the result in the end and that's the most pleasing thing out of everything."

Full story www.thisisexeter.co.uk

London Welsh 12 Nottingham 29

A strong second half performance in the capital from the Green and Whites dismantled the challenge of title rivals London Welsh despite Notingham twice having players sin-binned.

Many expected home advantage to favour the Exiles but they found themselves behind after only three minutes to a Luke Sherriff try.

Dave Jackson made it 8-0 with a penalty before the dependable boot of Aled Thomas ensured some parity for the Welsh with two succesful penalty kicks midway through the first half.

Nottingham`s strong driving play brought a second try this time for Sam Harrison five minutes after the break, and Jackson duly converted. But two more Thomas penalties before the hour left the match neatly poised at 15-12 to the visitors.

The supremacy at the set piece enjoyed by Glenn Dealney`s side again told after 62 minutes as Ed Slater forced his way over the home line with Jackson converting.

Then two minutes later centre Tom Casson intercepted on half-way and raced home for another seven-pointer.

Full report www.thisisnottingham.co.uk

POOL C

Coventry 6 Moseley 3

It certainly wasn`t pretty at the Butts Park Arena but Coventry`s first win in nine outings lifted them off the bottom of Pool C whilst dumping Moseley firmly in the relegation spot.

Phil Maynard`s injury ravaged battlers managed a penalty in each half from the boot of Fangatapu Apikotoa before a late Tristan Roberts reply set up a nerve jangling finish which extended into a prolonged period of stoppage time.

Afterwards Maynard told the Coventry Telegraph, “It’s like the Somme in there – bruised and battered bodies everywhere. That was a massive effort. They put everything into that today.

The boys played to the best of their ability and showed such determination – it was an absolute must-win game for us and we have come through.”

“There are still three games to go, but I have a genuine feeling of optimism that we will be all right.”

Match report www.coventrytelegraph.net

More Cov reaction www.coventrytelegraph.net

Moseley reaction from Ian Smith www.birminghampost.net

Rotherham Titans 33 Birmingham & Solihull 20

The Bees lost for the first time in the play-offs as the Titans maintained their 100% record with a five-try display at Clifton Lane.

The Titans fell behind to a first minute Simon Hunt penalty but were quickly back in the match as Ryan Burrows powered over for the opening try with Mike Whitehead converting.

Hunt slotted a second penalty but Andrew Henderson`s converted try after 20 minutes extended the home lead to 14-6. But an opportunist try from Anthony Elliott late in the half brought the Bees back into the game and Hunt converted to make it 14-13.

Then deep in first half stoppage time the Bees lost both Mauro Sperandio and Russell Earnshaw to the sin-bin for separate offences and the Titans quickly prospered via a penalty try.

Hunt and Maggs added further tries for the Titans early in the second half before the home side also had a man sin-binned as Ryan Burrows was pinged.

Ben Patston claimed a second try for the Bees whilst Burrows was off the field but sound Rotherham defence ensured that Birmingham left Yorkshire empty handed.

Report and Bees reaction www.solihullnews.net

The views expressed by High Tackle are his own.