CORNISH PIRATES 26

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 35

National League One – Round 2

Camborne

Sunday, September 9th, 2007

If the Saints needed an introduction to life on the road this trip to Camborne provided it perfectly. For the first 40 minutes the Pirates, driven on by a passionate crowd, played their game plan superbly.

Fly-half Gareth Steenson was running the ball at every opportunity and with the home forwards rucking with intensity the Pirates were worth their nine-point half-time lead.

Steenson opened the scoring with a sixth-minute penalty having already made a dangerous break. Indeed Saints were on the back foot from the first whistle and only a Mark Hopley break and a handy penalty conceded by the Pirates relieved the pressure.

The home ambition was admirable, particularly as they tried to break through the visiting defence from deep in their own territory. Unfortunately for them a crucial knock on handed Saints a scrum from which Hopley made another good break. The ball was recycled and Dave Ward burrowed over.

Barry Everitt converted the try and kicked a 13th-minute penalty to give Saints a 10-3 lead. The try provoked some additional physicality which reared its head again three minutes later. This time a penalty was given to the Pirates which eventually led to Steenson’s second penalty three minutes after Saints’ score.

The remainder of the half belonged to the Pirates. Though another knock-on handed Saints dangerous possession disruptive scrummaging and excellent work at the breakdown held the visitors out. A try for Adryan Winnan was prevented by a superb Tim Visser tackle, but a penalty awarded in midfield gave Steenson the simple chance to reduce the arrears to one.

Ten points before the half-time whistle handed Pirates a deserved 19-10 lead. Rob Elloway’s try rewarded an astute Winnan kick ahead and more Steenson successes with a conversion and a penalty had home thoughts turning to a momentous win.

Everitt’s converted try two minutes after the break had the thousand-strong Saints support calmer but within two minutes the Pirates had set up camp on the visitors’ line. However the fringe defence was outstanding and even a 12-man driving maul couldn’t force its way over.

This was the turning point of the match. From then Saints looked increasingly dominant, particularly when Carlos Spencer – playing at full-back – chose to pick the outside running line. One incision into the line created a try for debutant Tim Visser, but not before smart hands from Everitt, Damien Browne and Ward sent Paul Diggin over for Saints’ third try.

Spencer, who was outstanding throughout, twice played a crucial role in Visser’s try, making the initial break and giving the scoring pass. Everitt converted Diggin’s, but not Visser’s try, but Saints looked home and dry with the Irishman’s second penalty and a 13-point lead.

However Everitt inadvertently handed the Pirates a lifeline with an ambitious chip collected by Tim Cowley. His break created a try for James Moore and with Steenson’s conversion the difference became six.

The Pirates had hope and launched waves of desperate attack. But the Saints held out, Everitt sealed the game with his third penalty, and the perfect start to the season continued.

Teams:
Cornish Pirates – Winnan; McAtee (Moore 59mins), Devlin, Whatling (Winn 83mins), Tuohy; Steenson, Bolt; Cook, Elloway (Kemp 68mins), Heard (Seal 40mins), Beardshaw (Hobson 68mins), Cumming, Cracknell, Motusaga, Cowley (capt)(Gesinde 80mins).

Northampton Saints – Spencer; Diggin, Reihana (capt), Downey, Visser; Everitt, Howard; Emms, Ward, Stewart (Sigley 71mins), Browne (Short 71mins), Rae, Rudzki (Tupai 52mins), Fox, Hopley.

Scorers:
Cornish Pirates – Tries: Elloway, Moore; Cons: Steenson (2); Pens: Steenson (4).

Northampton Saints – Tries: Ward, Everitt, Diggin, Visser; Cons: Everitt (3); Pens: Everitt (3).

Attendance:
6,487

TIMELINE:
6mins PIRATES Pen Steenson 3-0
10mins SAINTS Try Ward Con Everitt 3-7
13mins SAINTS Pen Everitt 3-10
16mins PIRATES Pen Steenson 6-10
30mins PIRATES Pen Steenson 9-10
35mins PIRATES Try Elloway Con Steenson 16-10
40+3mins PIRATES Pen Steenson 19-10
HALF-TIME PIRATES 19 SAINTS 10
42mins SAINTS Try and Con Everitt 19-17
55mins SAINTS Try Diggin Con Everitt 19-24
67mins SAINTS Try Visser 19-29
73mins SAINTS Pen Everitt 19-32
78mins PIRATES Try Moore Con Steenson 26-32
83mins SAINTS Pen Everitt 26-35
FULL-TIME PIRATES 26 SAINTS 35