‘Explosive’ Jersey sink the Pirates

JERSEY Reds cruised into the semi-finals for the second straight season thanks to a powerful and dominant display against the Pirates.

Five days after edging the league battle in Penzance by just two points, the Reds cut loose on home turf to register a seventh consecutive win.

Jersey head coach Harvey Biljon said: “The boys were frustrated after the game in Cornwall because it was so attritional and so tonight they just exploded.

“They wanted to put on a performance under the lights in front of their home supporters, and it was great to see smiles on faces.”

An early penalty gave Pirates the lead, but after a maul from lineout possession didn’t gain ground, but sucked in Pirates’ defenders, the ball was quickly worked wide for Nick Scott to score in the corner.

Solid under the high ball and with attacking threats from both forwards and backs, the Reds were confident, but took time to turn pressure into points against a tenacious defence.

The home pack was dominant at scrum time and eventually earned a penalty try which, supported by Callum Sheedy penalties, gave Jersey a 21-point lead at half-time.

Pirates needed the next score but it was the Reds who began the second half strongly and with some probing eventually possession was won from a scrum near the try-line and scrumhalf Joel Dudley raced through a gap to score.

Although the visitors fought back, it was Jersey who added points through replacement Sami Fisilau’s try and two kicks by Lewis Robling to double their 15-point half-time lead

Pirates added respectability to the scoreline with tries from close range by Tom Duncan and Paul Andrew.