Few expected anything other than a home win as the Pirates took on a Park side who have laboured to just five wins during the campaign and currently sit just eight points above the relegation zone, and the form book was never troubled on a cold blustery day in west Cornwall. The fayre on offer may have been in the most part of average quality but the Pirates still won the try count 6-1 and took the maximum five points on offer. It was very much a case of job done by Mark Hewitt`s men.

Following the defeat at Nottingham Hewitt kept his word and made six changes to his starting line-up for this clash. It showed during a disjointed first quarter in which three points from the boot of Sedgley fly-half Phil Jones edged the visitors ahead, and the Pirates fluffed two golden try scoring opportunities as first Ed Fairhurst`s indecisiveness and then Chris Cracknell`s knock-on frustrated the Pirates.

The home side finally opened their account as Tongan international Vunga Lilo stormed home in the scoreboard corner following good appraoch play by Jimmy Moore and lock Bruce Cumming. Five minutes later full-back Adryan Winnan barged his way over the line in the Clubhouse corner after good work by Thomas and Winn, and suddenly all the good early work from the visitors had been blown out of the water.

After a lengthy delay for a worrying neck injury to Sedgley Park centre Luther Burrell the Pirates turned the screw again and crossed for a third try in the 34th minute as Steve Winn crossed the whitewash after a prolonged period of pressure on the Sedgley line. Thomas duly completed a hat-trick of conversion misses as he belted the ball against the left hand upright.

With the game becoming increasingly scrappy the Pirates relaxed either side of the interval and Sedgley sounded out a loud warning in the 43rd minute as a route one attack featuring Hall and Newton was halted only by a last ditch tackle from Cracknell. The Pirates regained their composure and sealed the bonus point with 49 minutes played. Excellent inter-play between Betty, Thomas and Winn was rounded off by Cracknell. With his radar fixed Thomas slotted the conversion and the Pirates led 22-3.

Four tries then became five as replacement hooker Darren Dawiduik rounded off a move started by Lilo, before Jimmy Moore earned a well deserved score of his own under the posts after linking well with Rhodri McAtee. With a 36-3 lead, fifteen minutes to play, and their opponents at sixes and sevens a cricket score seemed likely but the Pirates relaxed. Suddenly the direct running of Riley, Payne and Du Plessis punched holes in the Pirates rearguard as tackles were missed. Cracknell and Moore still had time to waste further try-scoring chances through knock-ons but Sedgley Park were now in the ascendancy.

Finally with two minutes to play the visitors made it to double figures as Chris Briers rounded off a flowing attack from Riley and Roberts. Phil Jones struck a sublime touchline conversion and at 36-10 it didn`t take Nick Williams long to decide he had seen enough.

The Pirates got what they wanted but will have to fight a lot harder if they are to claim 4th place. Meanwhile Sedgley Park`s battle against the drop rolls over into the next round of fixtures.

Cornish Pirates

Winnan (Parsons 70), Moore, Tuohy (McAtee 59), Winn, Lilo, Thomas, Fairhurst (Bolt 67), Cook, Elloway (Dawiduik 54), Heard (Seal 54), Senekal, Cumming (Hobson 67), Cracknell (capt), Betty (Cowley 79), Evans

Replacements - (all used)

Tries - Lilo, Winnan, Winn, Cracknell, Dawiduik, Moore

Cons - Thomas (3)

Sedgley Park

Hall, Van DeVenter, Payne, Burrell (Riley 30), Briers, Jones, Leck (Albinson 54), Livesey A.(Birchall 50), Roddam (Roberts 47), Halsall (Du Plessis 47), Fourie (capt), Townsen, Crous (Norris 52), Newton (Livesey D), Skurr

Replacements - (all used)

Try - Briers

Con - Jones

Pen - Jones

Referee -   N.Williams (RFU)                    

Attendance - 2,410

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