It is probably fair to say that nobody in the Easter Sunday crowd quite expected the events that were to unfold before them, but with a strong northerly wind at their backs in the first half the Knights threw down an early marker by racing into an eight point lead inside the first five minutes. Woodrow`s booming penalty from his own ten metre line was followed moments later with a try from Van Vuuren as Steenson hesitated under a high hanging ball.

It looked as if the Pirates would be in for a long half of damage limitation as they toiled into the gale but led forcefully once again by skipper Tim Cowley they refused to yield. Taking the ball in hand at every opportunity the Cornishmen counter-attacked repeatedly with wings Jimmy Moore and Vunga Lilo a constant menace. Having lost scrum-half Ed Fairhurst with an early shoulder injury, Mark Hewitt threw Rhodri McAtee into the number nine role and so began an afternoon of torment for the Doncaster defence.

Undeterred by the stuttering inconsistencies of the match officials the Pirates kept on the front foot and finally scored in the 20th minute as Cowley burrowed over the line from close range following a short range lineout and a charge from Cracknell.  Woodrow slotted his second penalty moments later before a third late tackle on Steenson went unpunished. This, followed by a blatant stamp on the throat of the prone Rob Elloway in full view of the unseeing Touch Judge, Mr Spong, galavnised the home side.

In the 31st minute they took the lead as McAtee darted from the base of a ruck on half-way, fed Moore on the touchline in front of the Grandstand, and with support arriving in number silky hands from Elloway and Cumming released Heino Senekal who charged home from twenty metres through a flailing defence. Steenson converted and the Pirates were in front at 12-11.

Seconds later Steenson was penalised for crossing in front of his own posts and Woodrow restored the advantage for the Knights. Then came the moment that turned the game. Knights full back and former Pirate Wes Davies rounded off an afternoon of clumsiness and untidy challenges with a head butt on McAtee. Mr Doyle had no hesitation in brandishing a straight red card. Steenson and Woodrow exchanged penalties at the end of the half but leading by just 15-17 the Knights must have felt that they had squandered their advantage from the elements.

The second half brought new tactics from the Knights whose pick and drive onslaught brought a try, on the say so of Mr Spong, for Griffiths after the Referee had deemed the ball to have been held up over the line. This decision proved to be the catalyst for ten minutes of absolute destruction from the Pirates as they ran the Knights ragged with four tries and raced into a 41-24 lead.

Centre Paul Devlin set the ball rolling as his blistering 30 metre dash wrong-footed the Doncaster rearguard. Turnover ball on half-way then saw McAtee, Devlin and Steenson release Moore for his first try of the afternoon. Prop Dan Seal then rounded off a move that had begun deep in Pirates territory with a rare, and extravagantly celebrated, try before Cowley, McAtee and Winnan put Vunga Lilo home for another well deserved score.

The Knights may have been reeling under the blows but they refused to buckle and marched back up the field to register their third try of the afternoon. This time hooker Steven Boden got the touchdown as their formidable driving maul bulldozed its way over the Pirates line.

Steenson`s 45 metre wind assisted drop goal was still rising as it bisected the uprights and three minutes later the Pirates took their tally to 51 as Lilo intercepted Rees` pass and raced 70 metres to score. Steenson, employing the kind of fade rarely seen away from a golf course, curled his conversion to perfection.

Jimmy Moore then bagged his second try of the afternoon, and the Pirates` eighth, as he finished off a flowing move along the left flank from Winn, Steenson and Thomas. Again the Knights replied with another score from short distance after good work by their forwards. This time Toma Toke dotted down and in doing so secured a losing bonus point for his team.

Fittingly, the last word and the final score of the afternoon belonged to Gareth Steenson and the Pirates. Sam Heard`s charge and Rhodri McAtee`s snap pass giving the young Irish fly-half the time and space to round off a memorable afternoon for the Cornish side.

 

 

Match Stats:-

 

Cornish Pirates

 

Winnan, Moore, Devlin (Thomas 72), Winn, Lilo, Steenson, Fairhurst (McAtee 9), Cook (Paver 48), Elloway (Dawiduik 60), Seal (Heard 65), Senekal, Cumming, Cracknell (Evans 66), Motusaga, Cowley (capt) (Betty 77)

Replacements - (all used)

 

Tries - Moore (2), Lilo (2), Steenson, Seal, Devlin, Senekal, Cowley

Cons - Steenson (6)

Pens - Steenson

Drops - Steenson

 

 

 Doncaster Knights

 

Davies (Sent off, 36), Bailey, Hunt, Davey, Van Vuuren, Woodrow (Rees 57), Jones, List (Toke 75), Boden (Phillips 72), Tau (Davies 57), Gross (Fa`oaso 62), Kenworthy (Luke 75) (capt), Griffiths, Grainger (Carter 40), Planchant

Replacements - (all used)

 

Tries - Van Vuuren, Griffiths, Boden, Toke

Cons - Woodrow (2)

Pens - Woodrow (4)

Red Card - Davies W.

 

Referee - J.P Doyle (RFU)                     

 

 

Attendance - 2,860

 

 

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