PLAYING Ealing Trailfinders away on Saturday in a first versus second in the Championship clash, the Cornish Pirates expected to face a massive challenge, and so it proved, writes Phil Westren.
Suffering three yellow cards also, inevitably, did not help the Pirates cause.
The game at the Trailfinders Sports Ground was a re-scheduled Round 7 affair, remembering that the original fixture in mid-December was abandoned, a decision made midway through the second half after Cornish Pirates’ replacement Ben Grubb was injured.
Former 22 times capped England international centre Billy Twelvetrees kicked the game off for the home side, who were quickly into their stride to in the process dominate the early proceedings.
Tries scored by hooker Matt Cornish, following an attacking line-out, and then one for former Wales wing Jonah Holmes, who was gifted space to breeze in from ten metres, set the tone, with both efforts converted by the experienced Twelvetrees.
It was anything but the start sought by the Cornish Pirates, although they would hit back with a try scored at the posts by full-back Will Trewin, which was converted by fly-half Tom Pittman.
A third converted try for the Ealing team, with just a quarter of the game gone, was next scored by centre Reuben Bird-Tulloch, who was celebrating his 50th run out in the Trailfinders’ green and white, with it was abundantly clear that they had selected a particularly strong selection for this encounter, and one that would fully test the Pirates.
The penalty count against the visitors continued to worryingly rise, and after the Trailfinders opted next to kick to the corner, they secured the line-out ball through lock Bobby De Wee. It looked as if former Gloucester flanker Jordy Reid had scored a four try bonus point for the Ealing team.
Thankfully he was held up, enabling the Pirates to clear the danger with a goal line drop-out. However, when a first yellow card was shown to winger Matt McNab, it naturally further hampered their cause.
The Trailfinders were clearly fully focused, and after their play created further pressure upon the Pirates, the Cornish side temporarily went down to 13 men after prop Jacob Morris was shown the team’s second yellow card.
Surely securing the four try bonus point was now a formality for the home outfit, and so it soon proved with an unconverted effort in the corner scored by replacement James Cordy-Redden. The scoreboard now read 26-7, which is how it remained to the break.
After the teams emerged from the changing rooms for the start of the second period, it was not long before McNab was thankfully back in action, but there was still several minutes to run on Morris’s sin-binning, and at a time when the Pirates needed to score next to give them any hope of working their way back into this contest.
When back to a full complement of players the Pirates started to put a little pressure on their hosts, only to then suffer a third yellow card when it was centre Joe Elderkin who seemingly made a high tackle.
Could the Pirates dream of a recovery? Yes, of course, but the head and reality would say otherwise, and it was a view likely confirmed when Cordy-Redden notched a second try of the afternoon, that Twelvetrees this time converted.
The 33-7 score line rubber-stamped the Trailfinders authority, but showing some resolve and after enjoying their best period of possession in the game the Pirates eventually scored their second try of the match. It was replacement hooker Rhys Williams who powered over from close range, but replacement fly-half Bruce Houston’s conversion attempt unluckily rebounded off a post.
The Pirates were holding territorial advantage but the Trailfinders, besides proving potent with ball in hand, also showed themselves to be mean when in defensive mode. At the very end, they also took their points tally to 40, with a try scored by replacement Dan O’Brien and a successful conversion off the tee by Bird-Tulloch.
A 40-12 score line, and a six to two try-count made it a comprehensive victory for the Trailfinders, but in also completing a set of three particularly difficult games away on the trot for the Pirates against Coventry, Bedford Blues and then league leaders Ealing Trailfinders, winning the first two were tremendous achievements and, although disappointment was natural, there was no disgrace in losing to away to the inevitably strong Trailfinders side that hold advantages in resource, both financially and in squad number availability.
Yes, for the Cornish Pirates on the day it was a step too far but hey, as ‘Meat Loaf’ once sang ‘Two out of three ain’t bad’.
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