Cornwall's Premier Rugby Team
Match Reports
2009/10
Cornish Pirates 17 Plymouth Albion 0
RFU Championship Stage 2 Play-Off
Sunday 28th March 2010
Phil Westren's Match Report
With both sides having lost their RFU Championship play-off openers the previous weekend, each would have felt at the start of this important play-off game that defeat could seriously dent any aspirations to reach the semi-finals of the competition.
The fact that Bedford had beaten Bristol 24 hours earlier had added extra spice to the encounter, and on a day when conditions at the 'Rec' were wet and slippery it would be interesting to see how things would evolve.
Playing towards the clubhouse end of the ground it was the visitors who held territorial advantage right at the start of the game when a cross-field kick by fly-half Kieran Hallett was followed up by wing Ben Mercer at the scoreboard corner.
With five minutes on the clock Hallett had a chance to slot a goal from a penalty kick awarded, but his effort went just wide of the posts.
Breaking the early stranglehold, Pirates' skipper and scrum-half Gavin Cattle opted for a tap and go which eventually took his team into Albion's half for the first time in the game. However, when he chipped ahead there was nobody in support for advantage to be taken.
When the Pirates were next put under pressure, this time at the clubhouse corner, a good line-out take and then drive by lock Laurie McGlone saw them advance once again back upfield. Hopes of try looked 'on', but when Albion gave a penalty away the Pirates settled for taking the lead with a sound strike from the boot of full-back Rob Cook.
Both teams were coping pretty well in the difficult conditions, but within the space of three minutes there was further disappointment for Albion when two penalty attempts at goal, a first by full-back Gary Kingdom and a second by Hallett, were both off target.
Keen to add to their score, the Pirates took play to the right and with an impressive driving maul pushed Albion back nearly twenty metres to their line. Awarded the put in at a scrum, this was the chance for them to register a try, which they duly did when No. 8 Blair Cowan picked the ball away from the sliding body mass to stretch and score. Cook added the conversion.
Plymouth Albion tried to respond immediately through the midfield thrusts of centres Sione Tu'ipolutu and Keni Fisilau, but the Pirates tackling was well up to par with prop Carl Rimmer and a fit again Sam Betty putting in some crunching efforts.
Approaching half-time, good play by wing Nick Jackson, and then Cowan and McGlone, took play forcefully into Albion's '22'. Quick ball was now required, which was duly delivered, it in a flash reaching the hands of eagre fly-half Jonny Bentley who mesmerised Albion's defence. Picking a weaving line he planted the ball down for a try at the posts, converted by Cook, which gave the Pirates a very handy and deserved 17-0 lead.
The visitors did have one more difficult chance to post some points on the board before the break, but Hallett's attempt from out wide unfortunately missed.
The early part of the second half mirrored the first, with Albion applying the pressure once again through their own driving maul on the right. Runners Fisilau and busy wingman Liam Gibson also kept them on the front foot for a spell, but the Pirates thwarted Plymouth's efforts time and again. Stealing back possession, the boot of Bentley was then used to push the Pirates back upfield from where hooker Dave Ward, and wings Nick Jackson and Aisea Havili made extra yardage.
The conditions were obviously making it very difficult, but there was due credit in equal measure to both teams for attacking endeavour and defensive effort shown.
For such an intense encounter it also appeared that play had been sportingly hard fought, only for a blot to mar on-field matters when man of the match McGlone was floored from a punch landed by Albion lock Tyler Hotson.
Everyone about presumed that a red card would be shown the Canadian international, and all were thus surprised when the colour waved was just yellow.
As the minutes ticked away to what was inevitably going to be an important victory for the home side, there was still time for odd moments of brightness on a cloud-covered afternoon.
For the Pirates, replacement wing Rhodri McAtee looked sharp with running opportunities taken, and prop Ryan Storer also impressed with a mighty tackle made. Albion also never let their heads drop, right until the final whistle, but there would have been obvious disappointment in their ranks.
For the Pirates another tough examination awaits this Sunday when unbeaten Bedford Blues, the Pool A leaders in Stage 2 of the Championship, will march out at Camborne. Kick-off at the Recreation Ground is at 3pm.
Cornish Pirates:
R. Cook, A. Havili (R. McAtee 69), P. Devlin, M. Ireland, N. Jackson
J. Bentley, G. Cattle (capt), B. Cowan, S. Betty, C. Morgan
B. Gulliver (M. Myerscough 69), L. McGlone (M. Evans 74), A. Paver (S. Franklin 74), D. Ward (R. Elloway 67), C. Rimmer (R. Storer 60).
Replacement (not used): T. Luke
Plymouth Albion :
G. Kingdom (M. Hopper 58), B. Mercer, K. Fisilau, S. Tu'ipulotu, L. Gibson
K. Hallett (A. Davies 58), R. Cushion (E. Lewsey 58), K. Marriott (capt, G. Evans 26-29), W. Sprangle (G. Evans 67), S-M. Stephen (D. Collier 67)
T. Skelding, T. Hotson, M. Rice (R. Hopkins 64), J. Clark (J. Owen 54-60, 64), G. Porter.
Yellow card: Hotson
Scorers
Cornish Pirates
Tries: Cowan, Bentley
Penalties: Cook
Conversions: Cook 2
Referee: Llyr Apgeraint Roberts (RFU)
Assistants: Nigel Higginson & Lloyd Jackson
Man of the match: Laurie McGlone
Attendance: 2,849
