AFTER delivering their first league points of the season at home to Moseley, the Cornish Pirates added four more to their tally with this important and fully deserved result at Doncaster.

The hosts who have impressed since making a swift return to the Championship dominated proceedings when play got underway and in what were fine conditions at Castle Park for an opening game in October they opened the scoring with a fifth minute try.

The ball had been well worked to the Pirates 22 and it was a telling burst by flanker Latu Makaafi who set up the score for centre Mat Clark, which was converted by wing Dougie Flockhart.

The Knights continued to look dangerous in open play, so the Pirates were relieved when a penalty award enabled fly-half Kieran Hallett to post the ball to touch.

There was also the opportunity for the Cornish side to work for their opening score and after winning the line-out the prospects looked good.

Centre Tom Hendrickson made a strong carry, with support given by the forwards, and when another penalty was awarded Hallett struck the ball cleanly through the posts The Pirates, who had experienced injury worries over props Alan Paver and Jack Andrew, might also have added their first try of the game, but decision making let them down.

Doncaster's cause was also helped as the Pirates infringed at the scrum, so it was of no surprise that a Flockhart penalty extended the home team's lead in the 24th minute.

The Pirates were looking anything but settled in what was proving a frustrating first half.

Hooker Aaron Carpenter had been replaced by Tom Channon, and there was a further concern when wing Kyle Moyle departed the field injured, his place taken by Laurence May who was making his first Championship appearance for the club.

They were forced to withstand considerable pressure in the build to the break and it led to a yellow card being shown to Andrew.

If there were pluses, there were at least no more points scored by the Knights before the break, and the interval also gave an opportunity to regroup.

It was expected that the home side would aim to and have every chance to capitalise on their numerical advantage at the start of the second half.

But this would not prove to be the case with due credit to the Pirates for their positive approach, as they proceeded to display belief and confidence that this was a game still in their grasp to win.

Fit again Alex Cheesman was an all action flanker and replacement prop Jamal Ford-Robinson also displayed strong running with ball in hand.

To boost the Pirates' cause, Doncaster too would have their spell playing with 14 men following the sin-binning of fly-half Jamie Lennard.

A fine tackle from Knights' centre Bevon Armitage prevented the Pirates from scoring their first try of the afternoon, but it was surely now just a matter of time.

Indeed, following a line-out the Pirates would soon register their first five-pointer.

Hallett and replacement hooker Channon both went close, however it was Kessell, who did the honours.

Stretching an arm to register his fourth Championship try of the campaign, last season's top try-scorer already looks a good bet to take the honours this time around.

Hallett added the conversion to level matters.

In what would prove a potent ten minutes period for the Pirates they would also add two further tries.

Full-back Matt Evans scored the second and Hallett the third, with the latter adding the extras to each.

Doncaster were down, but not out, and using up their replacements to provide extra energy they commendably hit back to give the Pirates a fright.

Tries scored by Makaafi and skipper Michael Hills, the latter's converted by Flockhart, brought the Knights to within just two points of their opponents, but it was the Pirates who held on to record an important win on the road, in what was their only Championship game to be played in October.

Doncaster Knights: 15 Jarvis, 14 Flockhart, 13 Clark, 12 Armitage, 11 Lewis (Bulumakau 64), 10 Lennard (Roberts 59), 9 Palu (Bravo 64); 1 List (T Davies 54), 2 Hunter (Bergamanas 64), 3 Quigley (R Davies 64), 4 Challinor (Phelan 66), 5 Hotson, 6 Makaafi, 7 Hills (c), 8 Shaw.

TRIES: Clark (5), Makaafi (72), Hills (79) CONS: Flockhart 2/3.

PEN: Flockhart (24) SINBIN: Lennard (49-59).

Cornish Pirates: 15 Evans, 14 Goss, 13 Riley, 12 Hendrickson, 11 Moyle (May 34), 10 Hallett, 9 Kessell (Cattle 72); 1 Andrew (Ford-Robinson 49), 2 Carpenter (Channon 26), 3 Paver (Gendall 64), 4 Carrick Smith (Ford-Robinson 41-49, Graulich 64), 5 Barry, 6 Morgan (c), 7 Cheesman, 8 McGlone.

UNUSED REPS: Atkinson.

TRIES: Kessell (53), Evans (57), Hallett (63).

CONS: Hallett 3/3 PEN: Hallett (10) SINBIN: Andrew (39-49).