Cornish Pirates 15 Moseley 7
By Dick Straughan
December 2 2007
On an afternoon of squally showers and gale force winds the Cornish Pirate hung on to fourth place in Division One after a dour battle against Moseley at the Camborne Recreation Ground. There was little to shout about from either camp in a game that was as dull and uninspiring as the weather.
December 2 2007
On an afternoon of squally showers and gale force winds the Cornish Pirate hung on to fourth place in Division One after a dour battle against Moseley at the Camborne Recreation Ground. There was little to shout about from either camp in a game that was as dull and uninspiring as the weather.
The Pirates kicked off proceedings but rarely saw the ball again during a truly turgid first half, for Moseley had come armed with a cunning plan. It was simply to keep the ball tight in the forwards, stifle their opponents, and feed off scraps and infringements. It did not work.
During a first thirty minutes of painful brain splitting boredom the Moseley pack, holding the match ball in captivity, trundled backwards and forwards in the Pirates half consumed by a manic desire to strangle the life from the contest. A little ambition and desire to score points would have brought rewards but their only effort, a ninth minute penalty from fly-half MacDonald was wide of the target.
The Pirates for their part largely stood by and watched, bemused and unable to do anything legal to effectively alter the chain of events unfolding before them. Every few paces would see the ball taken to ground and defended by a protective shield of muddy white Moseley jerseys. Early attempts at aggressive counter-rucking brought displeasure from Mr Rose, so the home side allowed themselves to soak up the pressure and keep the penalty count against them down.
Not until the 31st minute did the Pirates break out from this morass of mediocrity but such surprise at seeing the ball, such wonderment at exploring hitherto foreign parts of the field of play, and the usual accompaniment of unforced errors meant that a 0-0 stalemate remained at half-time.
The reaction of the home crowd to the premature celebrations of some of the visiting squad did little to lighten the mood of gathering gloom at the Rec.
Mercifully things changed after the break. Within four minutes a pacier and more direct Pirates woke up the scoreboard operator, as Steenson`s quick tap penalty released Tongan international Vunga Lilo to sprint home for his first try in Pirates colours.
Despite Steenson`s difficult conversion flying home the lead was short-lived as Moseley stirred themselves. After a succession of close range driving mauls the slipping and sliding Pirates defence could resist no more and a try was awarded to Moseley skipper, Tim Mason. MacDonald`s excellent conversion reinstated the stalemate.
The Pirates responded by introducing flanker Iva Motusaga. His pace and guile coupled with the athletic ball carrying of man of the match Chris Cracknell, was a constant menace to the Moseley defence. Moments after Lilo had been held up over the line, Motusaga muscled over for his team`s second try after a frantic spell of Pirates pressure.
Steenson`s missed conversion heightened the tension as Moseley continued with Plan A and continued to use their forwards as a long range battering ram. With the weather rapidly deteriorating the Pirates were rarely troubled but took until the 73rd minute to seal the game.
McAtee`s sniping 40 metre break drawing a penalty at the resulting break down as Moseley replacement, Matt Williams, nonchalantly strolled offside in front of his own posts. The boot of Steenson duly sealed an uninspiring victory for the Pirates.
Once again for the home side the lack of a strong leader on the field who can change tactics without recourse to a half-time lecture proved telling. Moseley for their part came to stifle and steal. It did not work today but as the season unravels and the scrap at the bottom intensifies expect to see them play the same way again - It will hurt somebody somewhere, sometime.
TEAMS
Cornish Pirates
Thomas (McAtee 70), Koko, Lilo, Winn (Devlin 70), Moore, Steenson, Fairhurst, Paver (capt), Kemp (Dawiduik 60), Heard (Seal 60), Senekal, Beardshaw, McKeen (Motusaga 48), Cracknell, Evans.
Replacement (not used) - Cook, Hobson.
Tries - Lilo, Motusaga
Con - Steenson
Pens - Steenson
Moseley
Winter, Sharples, Binns, Cox, Bressington, MacDonald, Ireland (D.Williams 70), Williams (Buxton 40), Caves (McMillan 71), Sigley (Bayliss 60), Bignell, Tuohy, Mason (capt), Atkinson, Evans
Replacements - Stott, M.Williams, Taylor.
Tries - Mason
Con - MacDonald
Referee - D Rose (RFU)
Attendance - 2275
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