By David Sillifant at The Mennaye Field

CHAMP RUGBY (SATURDAY)

Cornish Pirates 21 Hartpury 22

THREE second half tries weren’t enough as the Pirates were beaten for the first time on home soil by Hartpury.

The visitors have been coming to West Cornwall for nearly a decade and led 22-0 at the break thanks to tries from Alex Morgan and former home hooker Will Crane who crashed over twice from driving mauls, plus seven points from fly-half Harry Bazalgette, another former Mennaye favourite.

The Pirates, were much improved in the second half and gradually whittled down the deficit courtesy of a brace from winger Arthur Relton and replacement hooker Sol Moody, but the visitors ran out deserved winners.

Arthur Relton.
Winger Arthur Relton scored twice for the Pirates. (Picture: Brian Tempest). (Brian Tempest)

Hartpury, who as well as Crane and Bazalgette, included Jarrard Hayler at No.8, started the better with the wind at their backs and led after eight minutes.

The ball was worked out to Morgan just outside of the 22 on the left-wing and he delicately chipped through before winning the race to the line. Bazalgette added the extras for 7-0.

The visitors continued the momentum and doubled their lead on 15 minutes.

A penalty was kicked deep into the 22 and from the resulting driving maul, it was Crane who did the rest. Bazalgette made it 14-0.

Bazalgette added a penalty four minutes later from the 22 just to the left of the posts after the hosts were done for holding on as Hartpury ended the first quarter with a healthy 17-0 lead.

The Cornishmen missed two good chances as a penalty kick to the corner from the 22 went wrong, before Hartpury stole a line-out close to their own line.

On 29 minutes the hosts were penalised when inches from scoring, and were in even bigger trouble on 34 minutes when centre Joe Elderkin was given a 20-minute red-card for a high tackle on Ollie Allsopp. From the resulting penalty which was kicked to the corner, Crane once again finished off a driving maul.

Cornish Pirates v Hartpury.
Both packs battle it out. (Brian Tempest)

Bazalgette added the extras and ended the half with an ambitious penalty attempt from just inside his own half which drifted wide.

The hosts needed to throw caution to the wind in the second 40 and soon pinned the visitors in their own 22.

A series of penalties ended with skipper Alex Everett crashing over from a scrum on 50 minutes, only for play to be brought back.

But the Pirates got one back on 54 minutes when full-back Iwan Price-Thomas offloaded to Relton to dot down. Arwel Robson’s kick was good (7-22).

Arwel Robson.
Fly-half Arwel Robson kicks over one of three successful conversions. (Brian Tempest)

Both teams started to utilise their replacements and it was game on just after the hour as a driving maul from the Cornishmen ended with Moody crossing.

The game became scrappy, but a thrilling finale was set-up when replacement flanker Tomi Agbongbon crashed through and into the 22, and scrum-half Dan Hiscocks kicked the ball inside for Relton to dot down.

The home side had a couple of minutes to earn the most thrilling of wins, however they were penalised as they picked up just a losing bonus point for their efforts.

CORNISH PIRATES: Price-Thomas, Relton, Ribbons, Elderkin, (Ward, 55), Yates, Robson, Hiscocks; Young (Heaney, 67), Nelson (Moody, HT), Petch (Andrews, 57), Hallam (Suttor, 57), King, Cannon, Forsythe (Agbongbon, 65), Everett (capt). Replacements not used: Rigelsford, Sinclair.

Tries: Relton (2), Moody; Convs: Robson (3); Pens: N/A.

Cornish Pirates man-of-the-match: Billy Young.