The Pirates came into this fixture on the back of gritty wins on the road at Sedgley Park and latterly Doncaster. Rotherham had lost their last three matches, scored just a paltry three points and also sacked their Head Coach - Phil Werahiko. Something surely had to give today.

For half an hour the home faithful sat in relative silence pondering how a team that can play so well one week can be so ordinary the next week. During this time Rotherham had taken the initiative, a 0-10 lead, and more worryingly the fire from the bellies of the home team.

The Pirates had an early chance to take control with a second minute penalty. Fly-half Gareth Steenson playing against his former employers, opted for a kick into the corner. The Pirates lost the line out and with it the opportunity. Three further penalties were to be squandered in this way as the game progressed.

Rotherham adapted a siege mentality and kept things tight. Their game plan was simple but when they had the ball they nurtured it, tended it and most importantly kept hold of it. The Pirates treated it for so long like a fizzing hand grenade minus its pin. In short, they could not give it back to the visitors quick enough.

The Yorkshiremen could have opened the scoring after nine minutes only to be denied a try in the Scoreboard corner by a forward pass. Midway through the half a clumsy knock-on denied them again, but the boot of Jamie Blackwood had edged them in front with a 25 metre penalty.

With 25 minutes on the clock former Pirate, Neil Chivers, grabbed the ball from an attacking Rotherham scrum close to the Pirates line. His blindside break and Brian Tuohy`s clumsy attempt at a tackle, allowed him to sneak over the line and with Blackwood slotting the conversion Rotherham were in the box seat.

Finally with half an hour played the Pirates put some pace and width on the ball and Rotherham were rudely shaken from their routine. A Steenson break supported well by Pirates skipper Tim Cowley caused consternation in the Rotherham rearguard. Claasens`s clearance was gathered and returned at speed by Motusaga who was cynically tripped by Cochrane. Mr Doyle awarded a penalty and nothing else. The Pirates duly squandered possession.

Two minutes later the Pirates came back for more and a move started by Nick Buckley`s diagonal break eventually led to lock Joe Beardshaw being driven over in the corner. Steenson`s majestic touchline conversion brought some order back to the scoreline as Mr Doyle blew for the break with 37 minutes played.

Whatever Australian expletives were inflicted on the Pirates during the break by their Head Coach Jim McKay had an almost immediate effect. Rotherham were firmly on the back foot right from the restart and after five minutes a forceful drive from Cumming created space for Pirates hooker Nathan Kemp to charge through and score. Steenson added the conversion - his second of four - but sixty seconds later Blackwood reduced the lead to a point as the home side were penalised on their own twenty-two.

The introduction of Ed Fairhurst at scrum-half helped to galvanise relations between the Pirates backs and forwards, and he added the third try in the 55th minute as he sniped through a narrow gap at a close range ruck to score at the base of the posts.

Leading 21-10 that should have been the catalyst for the Pirates to cut loose but it never quite happened. As the weather closed in a lengthy injury stoppage for Rotherham flanker, Neil Cochrane, dampened the Pirates spark. New Tongan signing, Vunga Lilo, came close to a spectacular 60 metre solo score only to be denied by desperate last-ditch defence, before the Pirates resorted to Route One rugby and drove Motusaga over the line to seal the win and the bonus point.

Rotherham dug deep and refused to budge in the final fifteen minutes. They returned to the tactics that had served them so well in the early part of the game, killed the pace, and frustrated the home side. Rhodri McAtee was yellow-carded for an infringement on the floor as he scrapped for work, whilst Rob Connolly was allowed to flatten Lilo with a late shoulder charge under the noses of the Officials.

Inconsistent Mr Doyle may have been but naive were the Pirates as they continued to hand possession back to Rotherham at every opportunity. To their great credit the Yorkshiremen dug deep for one last assault on the Pirates lines and their impressive driving maul produced a try for Wade. Blackwood missed the conversion but based on performances I suspect that the Clifton Lane side will be the happier of the two teams this evening.

Cornish Pirates

Thomas, Tuohy (McAtee 56, sin bin 73), Lilo, Buckley, Koko, Steenson, Bolt (Fairhurst 47), Cook (Paver 50), Kemp (Dawiduik 60), Seal, Beardshaw (Senekal 60), Cumming, Cowley (capt), Motusaga, Evans (Hobson 66)

Replacement (not used) - Moore

Tries - Beardshaw, Kemp, Fairhurst, Motusaga

Con  -  Steenson (4)

Yellow cards -  McAtee

Rotherham

Claasens, Blackwood, Lawson (Griffiths 32), Connolly, Grissing, Allen, Chivers (Hallam 56), O`Donnell, Conroy (Kilbane 56), Boulton (Corrigan 75), Waterhouse (O`Connor 67), McGowan, Dunlop, Cochrane (Sutton 60), McComish (capt) (Wade 67-69, 77)

Replacements - (all used)

Tries - Chivers, Wade

Con -   Blackwood

Pens -  Blackwood (2)

Referee - JP Doyle (RFU)                       

Attendance -  2815

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