Cornish Pirates catch a cold at Caldy

Caldy 15 Cornish Pirates 14

Phil Westren reports

A losing bonus point was little consolation for the Cornish Pirates as they slid to a shock defeat against a Caldy side recording their first home win of the season in freezing conditions.

The teams had met only three weeks earlier in the Championship Cup, when the Pirates won 26-7, but it was a different story in this league encounter.

The Wirral-based home side, nicknamed The Ravers, had proved doughty opponents on their own patch in that first ever meeting, and the Pirates were aware not to take anything for granted in this 11th versus seventh clash.

Changes from the selected starting XV that ran out against Ealing Trailfinders the previous weekend saw Carwyn Penny named at full-back, with AJ Cant moving to the left wing in place of the injured Arthur Relton.

There was also a late change in the centre after Tommy Wyatt had to withdraw because of sickness, his place taken by Shae Tucker. In the pack Olly Adkins was ready to make his first league start of the season at loose-head prop, while Rusiate Tuima made a return at number 8. Following early morning snow and a slight delay in kick-off after the Pirates had arrived late at the ground, the Pirates got off to an encouraging start.

Tuima firstly concentrated Caldy defenders and then, after being awarded a penalty five metres out, it was alert scrum-half Ruaridh Dawson who quick-tapped and scored the game’s opening try. Fly-half Arwel Robson added the extras.

With smatterings of snow on the field, the cold and damp conditions were less than ideal, and it was perhaps no surprise when home full-back Elliot Gourlay was luckless with a penalty kick at goal when an opportunity came his way.

It was apparent in the early stages that the Pirates had the edge at scrum time, and after Tuima carried off the back the ball found its way to Tucker who scored a converted try under the posts for a 14-0 lead.

Caldy looked to respond and, after centre Mike Cartmill found space to run, he was, to the relief of faithful travelling Pirates supporters, bundled into touch. However, points would soon come the way of the home side when Gourlay was successful with his second penalty attempt of the afternoon.

Leading to half-time there was a spell of kick tennis before the Pirates were awarded a kickable penalty. Feeling confident, however, they opted to kick for the corner, only to knock the ball on at the resulting line-out, for half-time to arrive shortly after leading 14-3.

The Pirates had faltered in the second period seven days earlier and, when play got under way again, they were under pressure once more.

Caldy had a strengthened side to the one that featured in the cup, including selecting the Dickinson brothers. Number 8 ‘JJ’ is a long-serving talismanic leader and experienced lock Sam, who has in the past achieved Premiership honours with Northampton Saints, was proving disruptive in the line-out.

In centre Dan Bibby and wing Nick Royle they also possessed two former England sevens men and, after Caldy’s flanker Martin Gerrard firstly grub kicked forward, it was prolific try-scorer Royle who kicked further ahead and scored out wide to quickly reduce the deficit.

Soon on the attack again, an increasingly confident looking Caldy strived to seek more points, their cause aided when the Pirates went down to 14 men after wing Callum Sirker was yellow carded for an apparent deliberate knock on.

The Pirates initially survived another Caldy scoring attempt as the pressure became immense. But, on the hour mark, some fine work by the home pack led to the ball being spread wide through the hands of Bibby to enable Cartmill to score.

Gourlay then stepped forward to duly convert and put The Ravers in front for the first time in the match.

Now was a real test for the Cornish team, as the clock ticked away, with their cause potentially helped after a red card for dangerous play was shown to replacement Adam Aigbokhae.

Could the Pirates take advantage in the final minutes of the match? Well, giving penalties away was of no help and ultimately helped Caldy.

Caldy: 15 E Gourlay 14 N Royle 13 D Bibby 12 M Cartmill 11 B Jones 10 E Hinchcliffe 9 C Pilgrim; 1 N Rushton 2 O Hearn 3 R Higginson 4 S Dickinson 5 T Sanders 6 M Gerrard 7 C Ridgway 8 JJ Dickinson.

Replacements: 16 A Aigbokhae 17 A Darlington 18 E Caine 19 T Parry 20 H Crowe 21 N Thomas 22 R Hayes 23 M Barlow.

Red card: 16 A Aigbokhae.

Cornish Pirates: 15 Carwyn Penny 14 Callum Sirker 13 Shae Tucker 12 Joe Elderkin 11 AJ Cant 10 Arwel Robson 9 Ruaridh Dawson; 1 Olly Adkins 2 Will Crane 3 Matt Johnson 4 Cory Teague 5 Will Britton 6 Alex Everett 7 John Stevens 8 Rusiate Tuima.

Replacements: 16 Max Norey 17 Marlen Walker 18 Harvey Beaton 19 Josh Williams 20 Will Gibson 21 Tom Kessell 22 Harry Bazalgette 23 Rory Parata.

Yellow card: 14 Callum Sirker (52).

Scorers. Caldy – tries: 14 N Royle (41) 12 M Cartmill (60) con: 15 E Gourley (61) pen: 15 E Gourlay (28).

Cornish Pirates – tries: 9 R Dawson (8) 13 S Tucker (23); cons: 10 A Robson (9, 24).