Pirates’ Championship title hopes are dashed
Ealing Trailfinders 44 Cornish Pirates 24
THESE two teams faced each other at the Trailfinders Sports Ground in West Ealing on Saturday, with the winners now seemingly all but a cert to win the Championship.
For a fixture planned for New Year’s Day, but postponed because of Covid, little needed to be said prematch as both sides arrived at this stage keen to do their talking on the pitch. It was the home team who did just that, their power play blitz in the first half putting the end result all but beyond doubt.
The Cornish Pirates starting XV showed five changes in personnel to the team that won at home to Hartpury last time out. Marlen Walker started at loose-head prop, whilst fit again duo Danny Cutmore and Antonio Kiri Kiri returned at lock and open-side flanker respectively. In the backs, there was also place for winger AJ Cant, and Joe Elderkin got the nod to partner Tommy Wyatt in the centre.
On a bright and breezy afternoon for this second versus third encounter, from a penalty awarded the home side for a high tackle, up stepped fly-half Craig Willis to open the scoring in the eighth minute.
From the restart the Pirates were put under considerable pressure by the Trailfinders, leading to a break made by experienced scrum-half Craig Hampson and support given by lock Bobby de Wee who scored a converted try to extend their lead.
Midway through the first half it was Hampson again proving a thorn in the Pirates side, this time as the scorer of their second try which was again converted by Willis to give the Ealing team a 17-nil lead.
The first quarter of this game had not gone to script for the Pirates, who were forced into making an early change in their front-row. It was Sam Rodman replacing tighthead prop Alfie Petch just before matters got even worse for the Pirates when a former player, centre Max Bodilly, ran in a third converted score for the home side.
Now in search of a bonus point providing fourth try, it was one that would be suitably delivered by the Trailfinders when hooker Jan-Henning Campher took advantage of some sloppy defensive work to score, with, Willis again adding the extras.
It all looked bleak for the Pirates, who had been unable to counter Ealing’s power game. However, after a kick ahead by scrum-half Alex Schwarz, from a scramble that followed home wingman Angus Kernohan was shown a yellow card and the chance of a score from an attacking line-out provided hope. Hope indeed, and more, because hooker Tom Channon made it over the line to register his fifteenth try of the season, which was well converted by flyhalf Arwel Robson.
Down 31-7 at the interval, playing against a team of Ealing’s calibre to achieve a good outcome was clearly still a big ask of the Pirates, leaving just the obvious thought that a couple of early scores going their way in the second forty would though help.
Still playing against 14 men the Pirates emerged from the tunnel in positive mode, and quickly taking play deep into Trailfinders territory the ball was eventually worked wide on the right to enable wing Robin Wedlake to cross for an unconverted try.
A second penalty from Willis settled home nerves on 47 minutes to make the score 34-12, it clear that conceding too many penalties was not helping the Pirates cause. Also, after Kernohan scored a converted try following his return there was surely, and sadly as it proved, no way back for the visitors.
An opportunity for the Pirates did set another good driving maul that ended with replacement hooker Syd Blackmore scoring a try, which was unconverted, and in time remaining the faultless Willis firstly kicked his third penalty. As for the last points of the match, which provided some consolation for the Cornish side, it was full-back Carwyn Penny who gathered the ball and ran in from near halfway to at least gave the Pirates a four try bonus point. Robson’s conversion made the final scoreline 44-24
Speaking at the end of Saturday’s encounter, Cornish Pirates’ joint head coach Gavin Cattle commented: “Ealing came out firing from the off and collision wise they were very powerful. Also superior on their quick surface, which they are familiar with, they were just knocking us over initially and then they had the upper hand in the scrum which enabled them to get good field position.
“Opportunities our way were very limited in the first half and, although the lads responded well, you have to give credit to Ealing.
“We just found it hard to counter their power game and we handed them a couple of soft tries through faults in our defensive system and individual error.”
Next weekend’s final round of matches for the league’s top teams will see Doncaster Knights (72 points) play Nottingham away on Friday evening, Ealing Trailfinders (75 points) host Richmond at home on Saturday, and the Cornish Pirates (70 points) play Ampthill at home on Saturday.