Cornish Pirates brought the curtain down on their league campaign with a memorable win against London Scottish.
The 38-27 victory sees them secure second in the Championship, their highest finish in the competition's history.
It was a contest of wills and determination between London Scottish, a team known for their formidable offense, and the Cornish Pirates seeking to secure a record-breaking win.
The Pirates made significant changes in their starting line-up, including Jacob Morris replacing Lefty Zigiriadis in the loose head prop, and Will Gibson being selected in the back row in place of club skipper John Stevens.
On his 50th appearance for the Cornish Pirates, Alex Everett donned the captain's armband, leading the team to a splendid victory.
Following the initial kick-off, wing Arthur Relton scored the first try.
Despite minor setbacks by the home team, the Pirates continued to display their tenacious spirit, with Harry Hocking scoring another unconverted try.
The opposing team showed their strength at the line-out, with a few of their team members swift with the ball.
However, a converted try by Pirates' lock Matt Wilkinson established a lead.
The deficit widened further after Lloyd-Seed successfully executed a penalty goal, extending the advantage to 12 points.
Galvanising moments before half-time saw the Pirates score again, with Hocking earning his fifth league match try in as many games.
This momentum continued into the second half, with significant contributions from Kyle Moyle and Hugh Bokenham.
Despite a promising start by London Scottish in the second half, Pirates' replacement scrum-half Ruaridh Dawson executed a brilliant break down the left, feeding Bokenham who scored another try.
The victory was solidified following a final converted try by Marlen Walker, on his last game for the Pirates, triggering celebrations among players, officials and supporters alike.
The Pirates' achievement marks a momentous period in their Championship history, ranking them as the 12th best team in the country.
The feat has been hard-fought, with the team displaying undeniable grit and perseverance.
Reacting to the success, Cornish Pirates' joint head coach Gavin Cattle expressed his pride: "It was the outcome we naturally wanted, and we did well to find our way against a very good side.
"London Scottish are well coached with their speed of ball and putting good spells of rugby together and throwing it around a bit".
He continued: "To ultimately achieve the win, I am just so incredibly proud of our team, who have been a joy to coach.
"They have been infectious and their efforts, which are underpinned by their attitude and hearts on sleeves approach, is something the lads have in bucketloads.
"We didn’t panic, and at the start of the second half you could see the set piece was turning and squeezing them we ultimately got what we deserved".
Cattle concluded: "Ending the campaign second in the league for the first time is quite some achievement, and it makes us all so incredibly proud of what such a relatively new group of players have achieved.”
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