THE Cornish Pirates made it three wins on the spin as they returned to the Mennaye Field with victory over Nottingham.

After their previous two home games against AmPthill and London Scottish were moved to Camborne following damage caused by Storm Goretti, the hosts were looking to reward the hard work of all those that had completed the necessary works to get the game on in Penzance.

For the 12pm kick-off due to the England versus Ireland Six Nations clash, the Pirates’ starting XV showed three changes from the previous weekend. Matty Ward started on the left wing, and in the forwards James French and Ben Woodmansey were the two named props. For the latter it was his first start in a Cornish Pirates shirt, while promising young winger Finn Love, who has spent time in the Exeter Chiefs Academy, was named on the bench on loan from Camborne.

Playing towards Newlyn it was the visitors who scored first on five minutes when, following a drive to the corner wide out right, the ball was then swiftly moved left where fly-half Gwyn Parks kicked into space, enabling Army winger Luke Rokomoce to pounce for an unconverted try.

When settling into the game and making their response, it was Pirates’ man-of-the-match skipper Alex Everett who led the charge. Also, shortly after, following full-back Angus Mawson kicking a joyous 50-22 into Nottingham’s ‘22’ on the right, from a line-out it enabled hooker Sol Moody to find the hands of lock Josh King who scored the team’s first five-pointer of the afternoon on 11 minutes, to which fly-half Louie Sinclair added the extras.

Despite the weather, both sides showed their capabilities, including young Ben Woodmansey was showing up well propping against experienced Samoan international Aniseko Sio. A second try 18 minutes in would see the Pirates next extend their lead as hooker Sol Moody touched down his 12th try of the season.

Pirates’ wingers Arthur Relton and Matty Ward, along with No.8 Tomi Agbongbon, looked hungry for action, and it was the latter who scored what would prove the team’s final try of the afternoon with 22 minutes gone. Taking off on an explosive diagonal run, it was a score similar to his one at Caldy a week earlier.

Considering the weather, when in such conditions bonus point tries are more difficult to come by, the Pirates nonetheless surely felt that acquiring one was on the cards heading into the second half with a 12-point lead.

The second half was keenly-fought, and the match became especially interesting after the lively Rokomoce once again got on the try-scoring sheet for Nottingham. Parks also slotted the conversion to make it 17-12, thus leaving it with everything to play for.

Nearing the end, penalty decisions aplenty were going the way of the visitors, however the spirited Pirates defended heroically to a man, and in the process held out for a victory that sees them leapfrog their opponents into seventh place.

CORNISH PIRATES: Angus Mawson; Arthur Relton, Chester Ribbons, Harry Yates, Matty Ward; Louie Sinclair, Dan Hiscocks; James French, Sol Moody, Ben Woodmansey; Milo Hallam, Josh King; Alex Everett (capt), Luke Ratcliff, Tomi Agbongbon. Replacements: Morgan Nelson, Billy Young,Alfie Petch, Matt Cannon, Rory Suttor, Arwel Robson, Will Rigelsford, Finn Love.

Tries: King, Moody, Agbongbon; Convs: Sinclair; Pens: N/A.

Pirates’ man-of-the-match: Alex Everett.