In so doing, his unopposed gallumph to the line rounded off a twelve minute spell which netted three tries and seventeen points to quash any Pirate hopes that Cowan's 52nd minute dotting had briefly kindled. A pity, in terms of producing a truly competitive fixture; but then Exeter won't be too worried about that. And rightly so, as their display had been sharper and generally more inscisive for long periods of this encounter.

The only surprise prior to Miller's opening try of the game just before half time, had been how they hadn't managed to create more than just the two from three pots at goal for Steenson to have a crack at with the breeze to his back. Given all the territory and possession they'd enjoyed, particularly in the opening quarter, perhaps the Pirates defence should be given special mention despite a couple of wobbles that should have been punished.

As it was then, the home faithful had to wait until the restart after the first of the ex-Pirates' penalties, when McAtee's charge down set up Betty for the Cornishmens first venture into Exeter's 22. An immediate reposte was so near and yet so far before normal service was resumed and the Chiefs spent another, patient quarter of an hour before doubling their tally to 0-6.

With five scheduled minutes or so still remaining till the break, the Pirates again looked likeliest to profit, as Gulliver lead a promising surge for his team's first points. To have done so would have gone against the overall run of play; but to be able to turn around with either a small deficit or better, would have been highly encouraging.

The Chiefs though snubbed out the threat with a swift counter attack. The pill ultimately ending up in Clarke's arms and a certain try in the Clubhouse Corner beckoned. Jackson though had other ideas and a huge tackle close to the flag saved the day to earn his team a 5m lineout; and the chance to clear the danger.

The throw in however went long; too long, and handed Miller the easiest of touchdown's in a carbon copy of Elloway's try at Bedford the week previous.

To add salt to a now gaping wound that had begun to look possibly unlikely to open up after all; moments after Steenson's conversion, Mr Kitt's pea shrilled for tea time some ninety seconds early according to the clock. Thus denying the Pirates at least the chance to make some kind of reply.

Given later proceeedings, perhaps in hindsight it was to give them a better chance of re-grouping.

The opening moments of the second period however did little to suggest any opportunity would be available just yet, as the Chiefs marched ominously forwards. Intent no doubt to strike while the iron was still hot.

Mr Kitt's interpretations did little to ease home fans' fears too, as an interminably long advantage in the Chiefs' favour, eventually saw Steenson kick to the corner over by the East Stand. The resulting catch and drive however was sent stumbling backwards and a huge turnover was subsequently achieved to huge cheers from the home support. A defining moment?

Perhaps. And although the clearing break back into the Chiefs' half was eventually fumbled to end that particular threat; it signalled the beginning of the Pirates best phase of the game to date.

With the gusty breeze now behind them a long and accurate kick to touch from Doherty put Exeter right on the back foot. The lineout was cleared but not far enough as Cattle replaced the young and promising scrum half to try and add his experience towards cracking the Chiefs defence. With pressure maintained and play relocated to the Clubhouse Corner once more, Mr Kitt at last relented to award the homesters an attacking 5m scrum.

As it wheeled and the ball found it's way to the feet of that man Cowan, there really was only going to be one outcome. The Kiwi's 11th try of the season was just the tonic, although Bentley's dig at the extras from wide left went square into the left upright after a wind assisted trajectory. 5-13

For five minutes both teams sparred furiously but it was visible from Exeter's ball retention and speed in all areas which way the balance of power was likely to turn. Baxter's first try off the back of a maul in the 57th minute was unstoppable and the writing on the wall was writ large. Steenson slotted the last of his points for the day to make it 5-20.

The Pirates huffed and puffed in return but they just couldn't find the width quickly enough, nor make a telling enough break through the 12-13 channel. Ireland had been able to elude the first up tackle but the 2nd and 3rd was always there to shut the door. The crunching tackle on Devlin at this time perhaps summed things up in as the centre was stopped in his tracks and his head took on the action of that of a boxer on the receiving end of the perfect uppercut. Such was the force of impact.

On the hour, and Exeter's hooker Clark rumbled over from close in to complete another forwards' try for his side and kill off any realistic Pirate hopes of a result of some sort. That the move had come off a move from just outside the Chiefs' 22 was impressive; that the eventual scorer had begun it by picking the ball up having been some 2-3m offside from Jones' shinned clearance was galling. When it's not to be your day?

Down by twenty and final quarter now well underway, the Pirates still kept working for at least a consolation. A move down the right in front of the East Stand broke down. As if to provide the answer to the above question the big man Baxter suddenly found himself with that odd shaped bit of 'leather' full of air and what appeared a marathon ahead of him.

Under normal circumstances surely, someone in a red would have at least caught and made some attempt to halt his progress. On this occasion everyone had been committed to all out attack and the No8 found himself with an ample headstart and the prospect of need of a breather some time soon.

At 5-30 a rout could all too easy develop. A situation the frequency of which we will hope is in hand come the business end of the season. Mercifully perhaps and in no small way down to a spirited last ten minutes from the Pirates, this didn't occur.

We must acknowledge though that the Chiefs, no doubt bouyed by the native American noises coming from the Devonshire Braves who'd made the relatively short journey down, had eased off some. But the two unconverted tries from Gulliver & Ward were both well worked.

Bentley's sublime last give allowed the Skipper to scamper over in the lefthand corner, to round off the best handling move of the day from the Pirates. Ward's try five minutes later, came from a quickly taken lineout to Labuschange at the front, which the South African instigator of the move popped straight back to the hooker. His dash down the 5m channel caught the Chiefs cold and a side step was all that was required to make the scoreline respectable. 15-30

Cook had by now joined the fray but missed the extras. But it was his Garryowen from inside his own half soon after that maintained the pressure as the Cornish side sniffed the chance of a fourth try and a point. The clock though had gone through the 40 minute mark as Mr Kitt no doubt was making up for the 'lost' time earlier.

That elusive chance didn't quite materialise however as Jess' interception of one such promising forward thrust handed possession back to the visitors, who safely navigated the final moments for their fifth straight win over the Pirates.

Despite this latest reverse, the Pirates can at least emerge in the knowledge that their place in the Top 8 was assured. Where exactly they'll finish and in which Pool they end up in, remains to be seen. But with two regular season matches at home to Nottingham and London Welsh, and three British & Irish Cup games; including the Chiefs' 2nd visit to Camborne in the month; the end of the Phoney War must be nigh.

Cornish Pirates: 15
15 W. Davies 14 R. McAtee 13 P. Devlin 12 M. Ireland 11 N. Jackson
10 J. Bentley 9 J. Doherty 8 M. Evans 7 S. Betty 6 B. Cowan
5 B. Gulliver (Capt) 4 L. Collins 3 S. Franklin 2 R. Elloway 1 R. Storer.

Replacements:
16 P. Andrew 17 D. Ward 18 C. Rimmer 19 R. Labuschange 20 T. Holmes 21 G. Cattle 22 R. Cook .

Tries: Cowan, Gulliver, Ward


Exeter Chiefs 30
15 Steve Jones 14 Matt Jess 11 Mark Foster
13 Nic Sestaret 12 Bryan Rennie 10 Gareth Steenson 9 Clive Stuart-Smith
1 Brett Sturgess 2 Neil Clark 3 Chris Budgen
4 James Hanks 5 Tom Hayes (capt)
6 Chad Slade 7 Andy Miller 8 Richie Baxter

Replacements: 16 Sam Blythe 17 Hoani Tui 18 David Gannon 19 James Scaysbrook 20 Haydn Thomas 21 Danny Gray 22 Matt Cornwell

Tries: Miller, Clarke, Baxter 2
Cons: Steenson 2
Pen: Steenson

Referee: Rowan Kitt
TJ1: Steve Leyshon TJ2: Nigel Higginson

Attendance 3661

Man of the Match: Ben Gulliver