O’Meara grabs four to grow feelgood factor around Pirates

WING Alex O’Meara had a night to remember in this dominant win for the Pirates over a below-par Nottingham at Lady Bay.

The hosts could not catch the 26-year-old who scored four tries to leave him searching his memory to see if he had ever achieved the feat before.

“I don’t think I have in any kind of rugby,” he said afterwards about a career that was nurtured in schools rugby at Lord Wandsworth College in Hampshire followed by Hartpury in the National Leagues.

He is now in his fifth campaign at Pirates and this four-try haul follows on from the two he scored in the opening Championship Cup defeat at London Scottish.

“I’m enjoying it at Pirates. There’s a very positive feel about the squad this season and everyone is looking forward to the challenge ahead,” O’Meara said.

Pirates have clearly strengthened and showed on this form – winning by five tries to one – they have the potential to be title contenders in the main Championship which starts when Ealing Trailfinders visit next Sunday.

“I expect them to be in the top four this season,” was the verdict of Nottingham’s head coach Neil Fowkes. “They were very impressive.”

He refused to blame Nottingham’s growing injury list – including a worrying shoulder problem for fly-half Will Millett picked up at London Scottish last Saturday – for a defeat which asks questions about his team’s physicality to match the likes of Pirates.

From the kick off Pirates were always on top pouncing on Nottingham dropping the ball to hand over the early initiative. Javier Alvarez, back at Pirates for another season after at one stage going back to Argentina in the summer, had an assured evening at fly half, slotting three penalty goals in the first 27 minutes to go alongside O’Meara’s first try.

A winning combination of power and speed left Nottingham continually on the back foot.

O’Meara, each time showing a good burst of pace, added a second just before half-time to go alongside one from exWasps back row Will Wilson at No.8.

Nottingham briefly threatened at the start of the second half by working a try for the speedy Harry Graham on the right.

However, Pirates were soon back dominating and O’Meara finished off twice more to make the win complete. Alvarez converted three of the tries before handing over to substitute Will Cargill.