Bristol 45-17 Cornish Pirates

THE season opening from Hell concluded at Ashton Gate more or less as many feared, writes Martin Wollatt.

Going into round four of the Greene King IPA Championship, the Pirates are having to settle with the knowledge that they are propping up the league table.

No points and no wins does not on paper make for good reading, but with forwards coach, Alan Paver, being content that his young charges had shown enough mettle up front, this season has still a lot of twists and turns to come.

In the meantime however, any rash thought that the Pirates could end nearly a decade without success on Bristol territory were in effect binned along with Darren Barry as early as the 9th minute.

By then the Pirates had been under the cosh with referee Darren Gamage having little option but to card the lock after a spate of early infringements by the visitors.

Bristol’s opening score therefore came from a penalty try. It had inevitability written all over it and with further scores by Max Crumpton and former Pirate Andy Short chalked up less than fifteen minutes later, fears of a real drubbing looked founded.

The Pirates though responded and despite the loss of the talisman that is Laurie McGlone. A kick and chase from halfway by Tom Riley and Kieran Goss gave hope, which ultimately lead to some respite in their hosts 22.

Matt Bolwell’s first try in Pirates colours was therefore just reward whilst winger Luke Jones came close joining him less than five minutes later.

But it was to be Bristol who had the last say of the period when Auguy Slowik nailed the bonus point try in the left hand corner.

Whatever was in the Cornishmen’s half time brew looked to be just the tonic as they began the second period with fresh resolve.

Whilst their chances of reversing the deficit looked slim, there was a real spring in their step as they set about chasing at least a four try bonus.

Four minutes in, having forced back into their own 22 after an initial foray into Bristol’s red zone, a break out by Tom Kessell caught the hooped ones flat footed. Goss did the rest down the right flank to skin Slowik and score a delightful second try for the Pirates.

Slowik however quickly shook off his disappointment soon after as the full back ran in for his second of the match, in the process all but killing off the contest.

Undeterred, the Pirates continued to throw caution to the wind whilst throwing on the likes of Jack Innard and Todd Lowry, who did not look out of place from the moment they were handed their chance.

Bristol capitalised off this stance with Mitch Eadie and Matthew Morgan adding try numbers six and seven.

But to their credit, the Pirates kept pressing and Kyle Moyle’s fleet footwork on the last play at least gave them something more to smile about.

Next Sunday's clash with Moseley now takes on the importance many expected. The season proper therefore begins for the Pirates who know with less than a win between the bottom five, games such as these will ultimately decide their fate.

BRISTOL: 15 Auguy Slowik, 14 Ryan Edwards, 13 Gareth Maule, 12 Ben Mosses (Jack Tovey 70), 11 Andy Short (Adrian Jarvis 52), 10 Matthew Morgan, 9 Craig Hampson (Luke Baldwin 65); 1 James Hall, 2 Max Crumpton (Rhys Lawrence 75), 3 Anthony Perenise (Jack O’Connell), 4 Ben Glynn (Glen Townson 67), 5 Mark Sorenson (c), 6 Marco Mama, 7 Ross Rennie, 8 Mitch Eadie (Ben Skirving 72).

Tries: Penalty (9), Crumpton (16), Short (25), Slowik (38, 48), Eadie (63), Morgan (78)

Cons: Morgan 5/7

CORNISH PIRATES: 15 Kyle Moyle, 14 Kieran Goss, 13 Tom Riley (Tom Hendrickson 65), 12 Rheon James (Alex Dancer 65), 11 Luke Jones, 10 Kieran Hallett (Bertie Hopkin 68), 9 Tom Kessell; 1 Jamal Ford-Robinson (Jack Andrew 56), 2 Aaron Carpenter (Jack Innard 54), 3 Tyler Gendall (Jamal Ford-Robinson 70), 4 Laurie McGlone (Will Carrick Smith 26), 5 Darren Barry, 6 Chris Morgan (c), 7 Joe Atkinson, 8 Matt Bolwell (Todd Lowry 61).

Tries: Bolwell (31), Goss (44), Moyle (80)

Cons: Hallett 1/3 

Yellow: Barry (9-19)