Championship Round 10
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Cornish Pirates 25 -24 ( 7-17) Bedford Blues
Sunday 8th November
Pirates Survive Tense Finale
This was a welcome win for the Pirates, them surviving a tense finale in what was always going to be a closely fought contest.
Also, importantly, it provided a double bonus for the Cornish side, as not only did the victory gain important league points, but it also enabled them to leapfrog their opponents to fourth spot in the Championship.
Immediately prior to the kick-off, the match officials and teams lined up in front of the main grandstand, observing a minute's silence alongside all gathered in the ground, on what was Remembrance Sunday. It was, quite fittingly during these times, a moment of due respect.
Playing with the advantage of the wind, the Bedford Blues side, which included a familiar face in former 'Pirate' Dan Seal, endeavoured at the start to camp themselves deep in enemy territory.
Soaking up what the Blues had to offer, the Pirates then relieved the pressure, thankful especially to the efforts of No. 8 Laurie McGlone.
Back to his more familiar position he twice made telling carries that provided the impetus from where the Pirates could launch their back line. Centre Nick Jackson threatened, and wing Rhodri McAtee was unluckily halted just a few metres short of the line at the scoreboard corner.
A few minutes later, after Bedford had worked their way back into the Pirates half, an attempted clearance kick was held up in the wind.
The Pirates tried to recover and regain possession, a penalty for being caught off-side gifted visiting fly-half Myles Dorrian an opportunity to post the first points of the afternoon, which he did, with a successful strike from 34 metres out.
The Pirates looked to respond immediately when skipper Gavin Cattle's probing kick forced Bedford to defend at the clubhouse corner, only for the visitors to seemingly then punt the ball to safety. However, the strength of the wind that had played a part in the Pirates leaking a first score, would now derive them benefit. The kick bounced and bobbled 'dead' at the other end of the field, and it was a scrum back to the Pirates.
The position from which to launch a meaningful attack was one the Pirates were keen to accept, and they proceeded to capitalize on the opportunity. The ball was at first moved swiftly right, but with no initial gain. However, keeping possession and working it back infield, a try was scored to left of the posts.
There was some confusion at first as to who had powered his way over the line to apply the necessary pressure, it then confirmed that flanker Blair Cowan was the man to gain the plaudits, his seventh try in six Championship appearances making him the club's top try-scorer to date. Fly-half Rob Cook, who was to have played on the wing, but was called upon at the last minute to wear the number '10 shirt in place of an injured Jimmy Moore, duly added the conversion.
Taking over the pivotal fly-half role was a challenge for Cook, but it was one that he looked more than ably up for. Playing with confidence, he was happy to mix his game with a blend of strength and subtlety, which would continue throughout the game to ultimately confirm a man of the match performance.
Dorrian, an Australian who had been a star performer at Coventry in recent seasons, had a chance to pull three points immediately back, but he missed the difficult chance on offer as the Pirates looked to take the game to their opponents once again through the efforts of McGlone, hooker Dave Ward and prop Rudi Brits.
The Pirates could feel satisfied with their performance in playing against the elements, with the lock pairing of Ben Gulliver and Shaun Pammenter two more who were getting through a great deal of hard work.
As half-time approached, however, the home team would pay dearly for a sloppy five minute spell which saw Bedford score two converted tries, through centre Liam Roberts and wing Ian Davey, that would give them a 17-7 half-time lead.
A score early in the second half was what the Pirates needed, and their prayers were answered when Cook landed a straight penalty from some 35 metres out. In turn, Dorrian was then offered a relatively simple chance to reopen a ten points gap, but he was just off target.
The Pirates worked their way back upfield, and after a kick from Cook helped to provide territorial advantage on the left, Cattle soon pounced to score. Cook added the extras to make it 17-all.
Bedford, to their credit, looked to hit back immediately, only to be halted by some solid defending, exemplified by flanker Sam Betty who has certainly grown in stature of recent.
Cook again kicked well out of hand, this time to the right, and when it found touch after Davey had managed just to get finger tips to the ball, it was the Pirates throw in at the line-out.
Now, it seems nowadays, which is a pity, that too often a quick thrown in is called back by the referee, but it would not happen on this occasion. Alert and willing, McAtee had gathered the ball to chance what was on offer, and with a galloping Gulliver thankfully on the same wavelength, the ball was passed for him to run in and score an unconverted try.
Bedford now introduced former Bath and England scrum-half Nick Walshe to the fray, and he responded to boss the Blues with purpose, barking at them at the back of a series of rucks and mauls that ended with prop Sam Walsh scoring a try that Dorrian converted to put Bedford two points ahead.
Right from the restart the Pirates were gifted a penalty, it another opportunity for Cook as the tension was about to mount. The chance was was not a straightforward one but he made light of it to nudge the Pirates into a narrow 25-24 points lead.
Could the Pirates hold on? Well, with the elements in their favour, hopes were high, but to their credit the Blues also fought valiantly and refused to bow their heads. Indeed, they appeared to up their efforts still further to pin the Pirates back in their half, and when a penalty in front of the posts was gifted for Dorrian, it was surely game over. If he kicked it, and few doubted he would, there would be little time left for the Pirates to respond, but his effort cruelly missed. The tension of the occasion had naturally played its part, it manifesting itself in the reaction of disbelieving Pirates supporters who in the final seconds chanted themselves hoarse, and their team, to victory.
Cornish Pirates :
W. Davies, R. McAtee (S. Winn 68), N. Jackson, M. Ireland, A. Havili
R. Cook, G. Cattle (capt), L. McGlone, S. Betty, B. Cowan
B. Gulliver, S. Pammenter (L. Collins 53), R. Brits (R. Storer 53), D. Ward, S. Franklin.
Replacements (not used): R. Elloway, M. Evans, T. Holmes, J. Doherty.
Bedford Blues :
L. Fielden, D. Taylor, O. Dodge, L. Roberts, I. Davey (J. Knight 70)
M. Dorrian, I. Vass (N. Walshe 60), P. Tupai, B. Daynes, B. Lewitt
A. Rae, J. Harlock, D. Seal (A. Brown 53), D. Richmond (capt), S. Walsh (P. Boulton 65).
Replacements (not used): C. Locke, C. Goodman, B. Davies.
Scorers
Cornish Pirates
Tries: Cowan, Cattle, Collins
Penalties: Cook 2
Bedford
Tries: Roberts, Davey, Walsh
Penalties: Dorrian
Man Of The Match Rob Cook
Referee : David Rose (RFU)
Assistants: Richard Kelly & Nigel Higginson.
Match Ball Sponsor : Winter Rule, Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers.
Attendance 2,465
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