Bedford Blues rounded off their pre-season preparations with a routine 29-8 win over National One side Cambridge at West’s Renault Park.
The Blues ran in five tries courtesy of a brace for Chris Locke and one apiece for Pritchard, Gillanders and Knight after former Blues and Pirates fly-half James Shanahan had crossed to give the home side a 3 rd minute lead.
However the main concern for the Blues was the number of chances they wasted in the game. Next weekend they travel to Doncaster Knights whilst Cambridge visit Redruth.
Birmingham & Solihull lost for the second time in pre-season going down 20-19 to Division One side Cinderford at Sharmans Cross Road.
The Bees raced to a 19-5 lead early in the second half courtesy of tries from Woodrow, Lawson and Freeman before the Foresters fought back with two further tries of their own.
Fly-half Mike Wilcox won the match for the visitors with a penalty deep into second half stoppage time.
Bees face Plymouth Albion at Brickfields on Saturday whilst Cinderford host the Cornish All Blacks in Division One.
Coventry went down 28-9 at the Butts Park Arena to Newport Gwent Dragons on Friday night.
The Magners League side, including former Pirates favourite Joe Bearman, established a comfortable 28-3 lead through tries from Will Harries, Aled Brew, Adam Jones and Nigel Hall before the home side replied late in the game through McGowan.
Sale Sharks gained revenge over Exeter Chiefs at Edgeley Park with a 17-13 win from their second friendly against the Devon club inside a week.
Once again the Premiership side out-scored their opponents on the try-count, this time 3-1, as they took a commanding 17-0 lead after half an hour.
But the Chiefs stuck to their task against a Sharks side containing former Pirates flyer Marika Vakacegu, and scored a try through Mark Foster. The boots of Gray and Steenson added the rest.
Exeter open their Championship campaign at Moseley next Saturday.
London Welsh won their local derby against Esher 39-23 at the Pillar Data Arena.
The Exiles took and early lead which they never relinquished throughout the game but Coach Danny Wilson told The Rugby Paper afterwards, “I`m a little disappointed. We started well but didn`t learn from early mistakes. They attacked in the same way each time and we did not sort it out.”
London Welsh travel to Bristol next Sunday in the Championship.
Last Minute Moseley Nick Try-Fest At Billesley
Moseley squeezed home 45-43 against London Scottish at Billesley Common on Saturday courtesy of a last-gasp converted try from Nathan Bressington.
Few details of the game are available so far but the Sunday Mercury has been talking to their Head Coach Ian Smith about his aspirations for the new season.
Nottingham earned a morale-boosting win over Premiership opponents ahead of meeting the Cornish Pirates as they beat Northampton Saints 27-22 at Franklins Gardens.
Northampton fielded very much a second-string side containing a number Academy players after their first choice XV was in action against Cardiff Blues on Friday.
However the Green and Whites raced to a 17-0 lead early in the game through tries from Jackson, Rouse and Cobden. The Saints fought back strongly with Easter, Brake and Hopley touching down for them, but a fourth try for Nottingham from wing Tim Streather made the result safe.
Championship Index 09/10
