Match Report - Cornish Pirates 49-17 Nottngham

Match Reports
2009/10

Cornish Pirates 47 Nottngham 19

RFU Championship Round 22
Sunday 21st February 2010

Phil Westren's Match Report

This was an emphatic win for the Pirates, a bonus point victory that not only ended with them leapfrogging their able opponents in the Championship, but also saw them completing the double against Nottingham this season.

As the Pirates completed their pre-match warm-up it was an opportunity for Pirates' supporters to acknowledge two respected and popular members of their squad, Gavin Cattle and Sam Betty, who were about to make their 100 th appearances for the club.

The appreciation shown was sincere and mighty, as it was just prior to kick-off, but this time in absolute complete silence as for 60 seconds all present stood as one to show respect for Lance Corporal Darren Hicks, Tony Stevenson and John Barnes, all who had close associations with the Pirates and had recently passed away

After kicking the game off playing towards the clubhouse corner of the ground, the Pirates soon had the opportunity of posting the first points of the afternoon when they were awarded a penalty on the right. Chancing the kick on offer, full-back Rob Cook slipped as he struck the ball and it rebounded off a post. It was as little unlucky, but when another chance came in just the fifth minute he comfortably slotted it from in front of the posts.

Nottingham centre Greig Tonks had an opportunity to level the scores with a penalty kick all but from the restart, but his first attempt off the afternoon was also narrowly off target.

Playing positively and with confidence fly-half Jonny Bentley booted the ball cleanly to touch, giving the Pirates a good position on the left. Nottingham endeavoured to clear the danger, but when Cook counter-attacked it raised hopes that a try could be created for the home side. However, after a run and chip ahead he was late 'tackled', resulting in referee Mr. Terry Hall consulting his assistant and yellow carding Nottingham's fly-half David Marshall.

Looking to derive immediate benefit from their numerical advantage, the Pirates opted for a catch and drive on the left from which a fracas duly erupted. Further officialdom consultation followed, the Pirates were once more awarded the penalty, and again they went for the line-out. As the forward mass edged towards the line, at the chosen moment skipper and scrum-half Gavin Cattle looked to take the ball to the line. Indeed, he went agonisingly close, but there in support was hooker Dave Ward who pounced to score a try converted by Cook.

Two minutes later Cook had the length but was left of the posts with a penalty attempt from just inside Nottingham's half, but it was not long before the Pirates would suitably add to their tally. This time it was No. 8 Blair Cowan who would counter with telling effect, a run combining power and deft footwork providing a position from where Bentley maintained the advance for Ward to again offer support and score his second try of th afternoon. Cook added the extras.

With the home crowd happily singing 'I'd rather be a Pirate than a hood', and in good fun, the on-field exchanges were less friendly and hotting up as the Pirates scrum was proving assertive. Nottingham looked out of sorts and frustrated, and their cause was not helped when prop Petrus Du Plessis was red-carded for apparently stamping on the head of his opposite number Carl Rimmer.

Now was an opportunity for the Pirates to again immediately and ruthlessly take advantage, which they did when space was created on left from where Bentley fired off a pass to enable wing Wes Davies to canter over for an unconverted try.

Approaching half-time Betty, who looked in discomfort, had to leave the field and was replaced by Mike Myerscough. A scrum followed to the left of the posts and it offered another opportunity for the Pirates to extend their lead, which they did when Cowan kept steady control of the ball to score a try that was converted by Cook.

Jubilation for Cowan one moment, there was disappointment the next, when first he was yellow-carded after appearing to have made a dangerous tackle, and then Nottingham opened their account after centre Tim Streather used his pace to exploit a gap and run clear for a try.

For the Pirates to arrive at the interval 29-5 up, almost belied belief against a side like Nottingham, with there no reason to expect that they wouldn't dominate in the second half. However, it was the visitors who started the second half with extra vigour. Twice they were held close to the Pirates line, but it was not enough.

A quarter of an hour into the second period the Pirates increased their lead when Cook fired over a penalty, it the start of another spate of scoring, but with it the visitors turn next when scrum-half Dan White sneaked in at the left corner for a try well converted by Tonks.

Nottingham's travelling faithful, including an enthusiastic group of drummers, now made themselves heard once more, only to be silenced again when another penalty by Cook and a try from replacement centre Paul Devlin made it 40-12 to the Pirates.

Paul devlin Try

Tom Youngs hit back with a try for Glenn Delaney's side, which was balanced by a second converted score for Cowan, it number 13 this season for the ajudged man of the match, as the game ended with the Pirates having surpassed their previous biggest win recorded against Nottingham, a 42-21 points victory away in September, 2004..

Cornish Pirates:
R. Cook, R. McAtee, M. Ireland (P. Devlin 56), S. Winn, W. Davies
J. Bentley, G. Cattle (capt, J. Doherty 76), B. Cowan, S. Betty (M. Myerscough 38), C. Morgan (R. Prosser 73)
B. Gulliver, L. Collins (R. Labuschagne 73), R. Brits (S. Franklin 60), D. Ward, C. Rimmer (P. Andrew 66).

Yellow card: Cowan

Nottingham :
A. Savage, J. Cobden, T. Streather, G. Tonks, D. Blake (J. Barnard 70)
D. Marshall (G. Sammons h/t), D. White, P. Eggleshaw (J. Baird 22), L. Sherriff (I. Nimmo 70), C. Hammond (capt, W. Nelson 78)
N. Rouse (B. Buxton 38), S. Raven, P. Du Plessis, T. Youngs, M. Parr (N. Fowkes 70).

Yellow card: Marshall

Red card: Du Plessis