A record crowd of 6,381 assembled at Albion`s impressive stronghold on an afternoon of swirling drizzle and leaden skies. Albion got matters underway but roared on by a huge travelling army of Cornish support the Pirates were almost ahead within a minute.

Tim Cowley`s right wing break following an Albion turnover ended only when his carefully placed pass to the supporting Vunga Lilo was judged to have been knocked on by the Referee, Mark Wilson. This was to herald a horribly inconsistent afternoon from the man in the middle.

The Pirates maintained their momentum and briefly took the lead after ten minutes when fly-half Gareth Steenson slotted a simple penalty from in front of the posts. Albion however rallied and Ross Laidlaw returned the compliment minutes later as his scuffed kick limped home.

Suddenly the wheels came off the Pirates machine and Albion, employing predictably limited tactics in the conditions, seized the initiative. With the Pirates line-out mis-firing and Mr Wilson at odds with their front row over correct scrummaging practices the penalty count against the visitors steadily grew.

Further shots at goal from Laidlaw after twenty and twenty-nine minutes edged the home side 9-3 ahead but that was the last time that Albion troubled the scoreboard operator, and that will have irritated the home coach.

Despite this matters became progressively worse for the Pirates who lost lock Bruce Cumming to the sin bin after 31 minutes following a brutal shoulder charge on Ed Lewsey. With the Albion driving maul now enjoying numerical superiority they marched up the Pirates try line where only aggressive counter-rucking kept them at bay.

Again Mr Wilson intervened and harshly carded Pirates flanker, Iva Motusaga, for allegedly killing the ball. Now down to thirteen the Pirates clung on for dear life enduring a frantic five minute spell during which the Albion pack were repeatedly held short of the try line. When they did finally crash over the whitewash there were enough hands under the ball to deny a score. Mr Wilson`s half-time whistle brought both relief and exasperation to the rival camps.

Anyone who questioned the Pirates commitment to winning the contest was proved wrong after the break as they seized the initiative and planted the home side firmly on the back foot.

As their set piece settled down the Pirates were able to secure more possession and with Mr Wilson now randomly punishing the Albion forwards the Devonians lost much of their earlier continuity. Steenson`s boot pegged the score back to 9-6 with 57 minutes played and the game broke up into a midfield battle as the weather conditions deteriorated.

With their pack shading matters in the loose and Canadian scrum-half Ed Fairhurst determined to keep the ball moving at pace the Pirates had a solid platform to push on and win the game. With a bit more intelligence and a real cutting edge in the backs they may well have done, but time and time again ran into a huge enveloping wall of white Albion shirts.

It took Plymouth until the 73rd minute to break out and threaten the Pirates line once again. With their fanatical support baying for the killer score, Albion set up a driving maul only to once again see it tossed aside by a ferocious Cornish defence.

The final five minutes belonged to the visitors as phase after phase of unbroken possession saw them march into Albion territory. If there had been medals on offer for running laterally the Pirates would have won them all but time after time Plymouth held firm and kept the Pirates at bay.

In those final desperate exchanges Dawe`s men defended like men possessed as the Pirates frantically fumbled for the key to unlock the defensive door. It needed just one moment of sublime skill. one spark of brains and brilliance from the Cornish backs but it never came.

Plymouth Albion held firm to the bitter end and joyously celebrated a massive victory at the final whistle. For the Pirates it was yet another reminder as to how anonymous their backs have steadily become. 

Teams:- 

Plymouth Albion

Lewis, Lewsey, Cruickshanks, Davies, Sestaret, Laidlaw, Cane, Mathias, Owen, Barretto, Stewart (Kettle 60), Gulliver, Hayes, Stroud, Bornman (capt)

Replacements (not used) - Fisilau, Neethling, Saumi, Zimmerman, Oxley, Lowrie

Pens -  Laidlaw (3)

Cornish Pirates

Thomas, Moore, Lilo, Buckley, Koko (McAtee 50), Steenson, Fairhurst, Paver, Kemp, Seal (Heard 66), Senekal, Cumming (sin bin 30-40), Cowley (capt) (Beardshaw 76), Motusaga (sin bin 35-45, Cracknell 58)), Evans

Replacement (not used) - Cook, Dawiduik, Tuohy

Pens  -  Steenson (2)

Yellow cards -  Cumming, Motusaga

 Referee - M Wilson (RFU)                       

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

SPORTNETWORK SPECIALS