Pirates stun Ealing in Mennaye Field classic

EXACTLY five years to the day since the Cornish Pirates last achieved a victory against a strong Ealing Trailfinders side, they repeated the outcome on Saturday in a Mennaye Field classic.

The Pirates were looking to bounce back from a 73-40 hiding at Coventry a week earlier, and gave a debut to Exeter Chiefs’ England Under 20s centre Nick Lilley alongside Harry Ascherl.

Elsewhere in the team, Tomi Agbongbon was not available for selection, so Hugh Bokenham slipped back to the No. 8 position, whilst Matt Cannon packed down alongside Milo Hallam in the second row.

The Trailfinders were ahead on three minutes as former Munster wing Fionn Gibbons scored a try in the scoreboard corner that was well converted by fly-half Louie Johnson.

To their credit, the Pirates were level five minutes later as following a penalty and subsequent line-out, the ball was moved left which allowed skipper Alex Everett to crash over. Arwel Robson added the first of five successful conversions.

A second try next scored by the Pirates on 19 minutes was from the training ground as hooker Morgan Nelson’s line-out throw found the hands of Everett who immediately gifted a pass back to Nelson who did the rest (14-7).

The Trailfinders hit back five minutes later, this time with a converted try scored wide out left by centre Francis Moore.

In response, the Pirates applied immense pressure upon the visitors, with their efforts rewarded three minutes before half-time when the ball was released for speedy and elusive full-back Henry Palmer to register their third converted try.

However, the Cornishmen were soon pegged back as South African flanker Kyle Hatherell’s try plus Johnson’s conversion made it 21-21 at the break.

Pirates were unlucky not to nudge ahead moments after the restart when a Robson penalty attempt from halfway rebounded off the left post. Also, after Trailfinders’ experienced scrum-half Craig Hampson cleared the danger, the Pirates attacked strongly through Bokenham, scrum-half Dan Hiscocks and Everett.

Further success was not immediate, but the Pirates would take the lead again when debutant Lilley scored the team’s fourth converted try on 55 minutes. Seven points ahead, but the Trailfinders would soon score once more via Gibbons’ second, although the kick at goal was missed which proved crucial come the end.

Still, the visitors did proceed to score a fourth converted try through hooker Matt Cornish with seven to play, therefore giving them the lead for the first time in the match.

An away victory now looked likely, but the valiant Pirates refused to bow, and in time remaining, supported too by a fervent crowd, they had the opportunity to work their way up field. Roared on, they made it into Ealing’s 22, and when play was ultimately taken near to the Penzance posts, it was replacement hooker Matt Pritchard’s last minute converted try that earned a remarkable, but fully deserved, 35-33 win.

CORNISH PIRATES: Henry Palmer; Arthur Relton, Nick Lilley, Harry Ascherl, Josh Radcliffe; Arwel Robson, Dan Hiscocks; Alessandro Heaney, Morgan Nelson, Alfie Petch; Milo Hallam, Matt Cannon; Alex Everett (capt), Jack Forsythe, Hugh Bokenham. Replacements: Matt Pritchard, Jamie Clark, Osman Dimen, Josh King, Luke Ratcliff, Will Becconsall, Barnaby Elderkin, Finn Love.

Tries: Everett, Nelson, Palmer, Lilley, Pritchard; Convs: Robson (5); Pens: N/A.

Cornish Pirates’ man-of-the-match: Arwel Robson.