SEDGLEY PARK                3

CORNISH PIRATES           55

National League Division One

IT took the Pirates just 1 minute 48 seconds to nail their offensive colours to the mast and signal their intention of brushing aside their previous poor record of having lost on their last two visits to Park Lane.

Instead of giving the Tigers the earliest of wake-up calls it merely served as a foretaste of what was to follow, as the Pirates ran out comfortable winners in a totally one-sided contest.

Hopes had been high within the Tigers’ camp that the combative performance against the Leeds Tykes at the Headingley Carnegie Stadium the previous week had been an indication that the team had finally realised what was required to survive at this level.

However, up against a side that was physically bigger, stronger and fitter, with a halfback pairing that dominated proceedings from start to finish and a backline that combined created offensive opportunities from every corner of the impressive Park Lane pitch, that elusive first win of the season was always going to be just that – an illusion.

Catching Phil Jones’ initial kick-off, the Pirates’ rolling maul drove the ball 30 metres down the right-hand touchline before it was unleashed out to the backs, with Lewis Vinnicombe going over in the left-hand corner and Italy ‘A’ stand-off Alberto Di Bernardo adding the extras to give the Pirates a perfect start.

Jones hit back two minutes later with a well struck penalty goal, but hopes of a home fight-back were soon dismissed.

Pirates’ scrum-half and skipper Gavin Cattle showed his experience, constantly sniping around the fringes of set-pieces, looking for the opportunity to set-up attack after attack.

The visitors’ kicking game was simple – play the areas, keep the Tigers on the back foot and when in possession work the phases. The Tigers’ plan was very similar but much less effective.

On 17 minutes Jaco Swart was yellow-carded for not rolling away from the ball at a ruck and the Pirates made the most of the man-advantage. Di Bernardo’s penalty kick was rewarded with a five-metre lineout. Call-ball was channeled into the middle, where Duncan Bell and Viliami Ma’asi combined to unleash Rhodri McAtee who ghosted through the home defence to touch down. Di Bernardo’s boot then pushed the Pirates into a 3-14 lead.

The Italian, together with half-back partner Cattle then set up try number three. Switching the point of attack the forwards then drove towards the Tigers’ line and South African lock Seino Senekal bullocked over.

The Pirates then wrapped up the bonus point three minutes into time-added-on at the end of the first half when Di Bernardo and Bell combined to set-up Matt Evans, who showed the Sedgley cover a clean pair of heels to go over for try number four, with the Pirates taking a 3-26 lead into the half-time break.

Within two minutes of the restart McAtee’s confident catch and run took the ball deep into Tigers’ territory where it was recycled to Senekal, who again used his power to barrel over from 10 metres.

Turnover ball set-up replacement Mark Jones for a drive down centre-field before the ball was spun out to the left where centre Andy Craig raced for the corner flag only to be bundled into touch a metre short of the Pirates’ line.

Another Cattle run then paved the way for Motusaga to claim try number six before the Pirates’ skipper ran in two touchdowns of his own.

With 10 minutes remaining the Tigers were reduced to 14 men for a second time when Adam Newton was harshly adjudged to have gone offside at a ruck, and the Pirates once more took full advantage.

Two penalties later Cattle showed his speed of thought and action when he simply tapped and ran the ball over from five metres, catching the Tigers’ defence napping.Three minutes later he pounced onto a finely weighted inside pass from Di Bernardo 30 metres out to again outpace the Tigers’ defence.

In the 83^rd minute the rout was completed when fullback Adryan Winnan joined the line to carry the ball out to the right before offloading to Cattle whose pass back inside to Duncan Roke ended with the centre claiming his side’s ninth try.

SEDGLEY PARK: De Jager, Hall, Craig, Duffy (Voortman 44), Briers, Jones, Albinson (Leck 54), Evans (Du Plessis 60), Roddam (M. Jones 45), Halsall (Gazzola 60), Swart, Norris (Bennett 40), Newton, Ponton (Jope 54), Skurr. Penalties: Jones (1). Yellow Cards: Swart (16); Newton (64).  

CORNISH PIRATES: Winnan, McAtee, Roke, Bell (Winn 54), Vinnicombe, Di Bernardo, Cattle (Moore 70), Paver, Ma’asi (Hambly 72), Heard (Anderson 52), Senekal, Beardshaw (Hobson 65), McKeen (Cowley 65), Motusaga (Betty 58), Evans.Tries: Vinnicomb (1); McAtee (17); Senekal (27, 43); Evans (39); Motusaga (53); Cattle (66, 69); Roke (77). Conversions: Di Bernardo (5 from 9).