Pirates go on rampage to stun Yorkshire Carnegie
DELIGHTED joint-head coach Gavin Cattle hailed his Cornish Pirates side for “pushing to the next level” when stunning promotion-chasing Yorkshire Carnegie.
They picked up a sixth straight win and inflicted on their rivals a first home defeat of the season with a remarkable performance at Headingley.
It was only the second time Carnegie had lost in the league this campaign but, after gifting Cornish two early intercept tries, they were eventually wellbeaten.
Joe Ford’s drop goal enabled the hosts to recover to a deficit of just 21-20 in the 42nd minute but it was the relentless visitors who pushed on with a dominant second half showing, finishing with six tries.
They are now just two points off the play-off spots but have a game in hand over fourth-placed Ealing Trailfinders.
Cattle said: “This is a big scalp for us. We were massive underdogs today and it’s just really pleasing for the effort these boys put in.
“They are now starting to push onto the next level.
“This group has worked hard all year but it’s getting to that point in the season now where we’re starting to see who we are.
“Leeds like to play an expansive game and it was about trying to close that down.
“We did that really well with two intercept tries which we’d spoken about during the week – getting into their passing lines – and that set us off.
“We asked ourselves whether we could keep the intensity going and the pleasing thing is we did for about 70 minutes when the game was still in the balance.
“The top-four is on but we’re thinking long-term, too, as we want to keep this team together.”
Bizarrely, Cornish did not even have any phases in the hosts’ 22 until as late as the 35th minute when No.8 Tom Duncan duly scored, slipping through untouched as Carnegie’s ruck defence went missing.
However, they had already been gifted those two earlier tries, winger Kyle Moyle picking off the error-prone Chris Elder’s pass near halfway and then Duncan doing likewise to Ford from 45-metres out.
Carnegie hooker Phil Nilsen scored twice from driving lineouts, Alex Davies slotting seven points, too, to see them trail 21-17 at the break, but they did not score another try until Ollie Stedman’s effort with the last play of the match, Stevie McColl converting.
Cornish garnered further tries through a darting Alex Day, Brett Beukeboom’s driving maul and a splendidly created score for replacement prop Jack Andrew,
Laurence May, meanwhile, enjoyed a 100 per cent conversion rate.
Carnegie boss Bryan Redpath admitted he never fancied his side, who host
Irish in a fortnight, to win even when just 21-20 down.
“I never saw us have real confidence in the game and I don’t know why,” said the ex-Scotland captain.
“We gifted them two tries but huge credit to Cornish. They took their opportunities, grew in the game and dug in defensively as well.
“We just weren’t good enough and if we play like that at Jersey next Friday we won’t win let alone thinking about Irish coming here the week after.”