If you are able, you'd look at the result and think WOW! What a game...and so on. And in many ways that would be so appropriate. Moreso for any neutral looking on.

What an advert for the game at this level and well played to the 'underdogs' on what must have been a sure hiding on paper; particularly after relinquishing (any) home advanatge for correctly switching the game to the far west, in the interests of not adding to any already burgeoning fixture backlog.

And, so it was in all honesty a cracking game....if you are prepared to take a step back and honestly appraise exactly what eventually had transpired.

The Pirates no doubt will kick themselves at having done the hard work (and how at times!), having built a 14 point advatage well into the last quarter. Their pack by then were scrummaging for fun and, had not Cattle's inside pass to skipper for the day Morgan, not found the flanker a foot or so too forward than ideal fifteen minutes from time; a sixth and surely result clinching try went begging instead.

To add salt into the wounds; overall Man of the Match, Bees fly half Patson picked up the scraps from this mix-up, to scamper over for his second dot down of the afternoon, from just inside the Pirate half. A score that summed up some woeful Pirates defence at times, most notably in the first up tackle zone; and gave hope of a result for the visitors(??) where it had just begun to seem there was none.

But the signs had been there at the start...actually probably only a few hours earlier when news from the West Midlands filtered through of the acquisition of the services of some 16 new players. Players from a variety of locations, many of which had Premiership postcodes attached. Mmmmnnn.

Well...OK..bring it on. If anyone has any true ambition at this level...then you have to be able to compete with this calibre of player; right? Mr Cracknell could expect a warm reception at least ;o)

Regardless of all this potential fall out later on, International Sir, Wayne Barnes, duly began proceedings by inviting the 'home' side to kick off towards the errr...visiting Cornishmen. Hopefully later on he will have departed from the post match sing song in tact, and full of positive notes in support of the game at Peasant Level; despite the controversies and letters from the bank in certain quarters.

Indeed it was the Bees who began the liveliest, but despite their early territorial advantage, it was they that conceded the first points as the Pirates first serious incursion set who else, but Rob Cook, to scorch through wide out on the left. His pop at the extras fell short and wide but a 5-0 advantage after barely five minutes boded well.

Or at least should have done; in the eyes of those present who still thought that this was the same Bees side that propped up the table with no wins to their name in fourteen outings. Within five, that man Patson had not only finished a move of such ease through a seemingly non existant back line defence, but had converted also to give his team the lead 5-7. Ominously, you could see the teamsheet print outs for identification purposes being discarded from shorts' pockets with growing contempt for 'playing the game'.

This audaciousness was notably tempered though by a fine reposte, as a Cowan lead re-enactment of some earthmoving dynamics of the construction of the M5 brought an ultimate 7 point reward. This, moments after the efforts of the returning Wes Davies had produced the attacking 5m scrum that set this up. Cookie couldn't miss this time 12-7.

The Pirates by now were near to having the wind in their sails, but their opponents were far from out of the contest as their cunning and tenacity appeared to push the right buttons in the boy Barnes' eyes. Holmes' subsequently transgressed with little visible warning of a problem and, as we entered the second quarter, wandered off to see how his compartriots were doing on 5Live Extra at the Wanderers for ten minutes or so.

For a good while it didn't seem to matter as his compadres pressed and came mightily close to adding to their tally without his presence; through firstly Bright and then Cowan.

The problem in between was Bees' centre Lawson, intercepting an ambitious, but probably correct pass out right to acres of space and potential Pirate recipients by the bucket load; and running 70+m unopposed under the posts. Thus handing Patson the simplest of conversions to give his team the lead at the interval. 12-14

Credit where it's due though. As the home...away side resumed after their tea and hairdryers with purpose. A chance in the opening minute went begging but, having recovered the ball in their own half, the Pirates through Bentley forced the Bees back onto their back feet as the fly half won his side a 5m attacking scrum.

The Bees creaked visibly at the first engage and following the reset and subsequent collapse in Bees ranks, Mr B trotted gaily under the posts to signal his disgust. With the tee not forthcoming quickly enough, Cookie dropped the extras just to keep the momentum. 19-14

Centurion Winn entered the fray for the long absent Devs at the restart which signalled a massed substitution regime from the Midlanders soon after. Well, they have plenty more to choose from these days huh?

Stirlings' henchmen responded in kind but this wasn't enough to prevent Patson from closing the gap with a penalty around the quarter hour mark. 19-17

It seemed at that time as only a glitch as Davies immediately responded with a run that gained a foothold on the left and just the inside Bees half. With possession retained, the pill found itself propelled exsquisitely over to the right in a flash for bad boy Holmes to power over for the bonus point try in the scoreboard corner. Cookie neglected to opt for the shades. 24-17

Three minutes later and what could so easily have been the try of the game. A high clearance from the Bees was taken bravely and at pace by Cowan. His run was eventually halted but Cattle almost wriggled his way through before the Bees infringed. Barnesy had by now sussed it.

A sequence of scrums ensued and it was by now clear that the Bees 8 were seeking frantically for the white flag in this department. The...away support bayed for 'blood' and were rewarded with a text book effort from the pack which Cowan was never going to miss from. Great stuff which Cookie topped up with two; 31-17 and less than a quarter to go and the Pirates seemingly moving in for the kill.

Perhaps not.

The rest as they is history and a team of predominantly strangers shared 62 points and 3 league points each with their....ummm...hosts. A bizarre feeling for sure and one that this particular onlooker doesn't quite know how to handle.

Mercifully; and, with all things considered we, the Pirates, should be clear of the dreaded 9th and below play off scenario come regular season end. Even given it, and it's Promotion equals' season long bones of contention, I'd predict one thing for sure. Come the day of reckoning and the final decision as to who goes down to National 1 oblivion(?), on this showing it ain't going to be Bees.

You have been warned. Unleash the forums!!!!!

�@

Cornish Pirates: 31
15 R. Cook 14 R. Bright 13 N. Jackson 12 P. Devlin 11 W. Davies
10 J. Bentley 9 J. Doherty
8 B. Cowan 7 T. Holmes 6 C. Morgan (capt)
5 S. Pammenter 4 R. Labuschagne 3 R. Brits 2 D. Ward 1 A. Paver.

Replacements: 16 C. Rimmer 17 R. Prosser 18 L.McGlone 19 M. Evans 20 G. Cattle 21 S. Winn 22 M. Ireland.

Tries: Patson 2, Lawson, Mitchell
Cons: Patson 4
Pen: Patson

Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant Referees: Simon Harding & Mark Summerhayes