Cornish Pirates 28 Jersey 24
The Cornish Pirates ended their Championship season with a first win in four games but were made to battle all the way by a resilient Jersey side at the Mennaye Field, writes Dick Straughan.
The Islanders travelled safe in the knowledge that they had survived their battle against relegation and after a shaky start in which they went behind to a Kieran Hallett penalty and lost flanker Fred Silcock to injury fought back strongly.
Fly half Mike Le Bourgeois levelled the scores before the Pirates lost their way conceding two tries as they lost lock Gary Johnson and flanker Phil Burgess to the sin bin.
A penalty try gave Jersey the lead as Johnson infringed at a ruck on his own line and wing Ed Dawson grabbed the second after a fine break by scrumhalf Dave McCormack inside the home half. It could have been worse but Jersey`s impressive Number 8 Guy Thompson knocked on close to the Pirates line in stoppage time.
The Pirates however were a different proposition after the break and quickly set about turning around the 17-6 deficit with a more powerful display.
Jersey lost hooker Dave Felton to the sin bin for killing the ball and from a penalty and driving lineout from the offence Pirates flanker Phil Burgess drove over the line to score.
Kieran Hallett cut the arrears to just three with a penalty from in front of the Jersey posts and then prop Paul Andrew forced his way over in the corner for his side`s second try.
Hallett made it 22-17 with a penalty on the hour and then added two more as the Cornish side turned their dominance into an eleven point lead before Jersey rallied claiming a third try with the final play of the game. Le Bourgeois scored at the posts converting his try with the last kick of the season.
Cornish Pirates
Moyle, Davies, Riley, Hill, Evans (Mercer 65), Hallett, Cattle (capt) (Kessell 71); Andrew (Storer 65), Semmens, Joyce (M.Maidment h/t), Lyons (B.Maidment 61), Johnson (sin bin 15-25), Tyas (Cheesman h/t), Burgess (sin bin 17-27, Tanner 79), B.Maidment (McGlone 43)
Tries – Burgess, Andrew
Pens – Hallett (6)
Yellow Cards – Johnson, Burgess
Jersey
Bryce, Foster, Stelling (Sanders 79), Bishop (capt), Dawson (Copsey 79), Le Bourgeois, McCormack (Dudley 57); McCarthy (Landick 68), Felton (sin bin 44-54), Brennan (Gethings 61), Anderson (Voss 57), Markham, Silcock (Lane 7), Buckle, Thompson
Tries – Penalty, Dawson, Le Bourgeois
Cons – Le Bourgeois (3)
Pen – Le Bourgeois
Yellow Card – Felton
Referee – T.Foley (RFU)
Attendance – 1,959
