THE Cornish Pirates are back into the play-off places after thrashing fellow top-six hopefuls Chinnor at the Mennaye Field on Saturday.

There were several changes to the Pirates starting XV from the one that ran out at Bedford Blues the previous weekend. Full-back Iwan Price-Thomas was available, while Joe Elderkin came in at centre with Harry Yates switching to the wing.

Scrum-half Dan Hiscocks was injured so Will Becconsall stepped up to take his place for what was his first start in Pirates’ colours.

As for the forwards, Morgan Nelson, Billy Young and Luke Ratcliff came into the side, while a fresh face on the bench was 24-year-old centre Harry Ascherl on loan from the Exeter Chiefs.

After the visitors went close early on, it was the Pirates who scored first as a drive to the line following successive penalties was finished off by Nelson with fly-half Arwel Robson adding the extras.

Chinnor were quick to hit back, and after fly-half Nathan Chamberlain found touch deep on the left to form their own potent catch and drive, it was flanker Will Cave who was later confirmed as a try-scorer. Chamberlain made it 7-7.

The first quarter was proving both competitive and entertaining, and certainly for Pirates’ supporters when some slick handling witnessed ended with Yates making it to the line for an unconverted try scored wide out left.

Man-of-the-match Robson was already standing out, on this occasion when running with ball in hand, and skipper Alex Everett was once again his usual forceful self.

Price-Thomas was looking comfortable on his return to playing, as witnessed when he not only finished off a fine move to score at the Penzance posts. He wasted no time in adding the extras.

The home crowd were enjoying what they were witnessing, and after a break into space by Robson it was Yates who scored his second try before the interval to give the Pirates a 24-7 half-time lead. A four-try bonus point was also in the bag.

With the wind on their backs for the second forty, the Pirates firstly got off to a great start when an attack down the left ended with a try from Elderkin, who also soon saw wing Arthur Relton and scrum-half Will Becconsall finish off well-executed tries that were both converted.

Chinnor replied with a converted score by full-back Freddie Owsley, only for the Pirates to hit the 50 points mark thanks to a converted effort from Ribbons.

A third and final converted try for the visitors was registered by wing Grant Hughes, which followed a quick pop-up pass by replacement scrum-half Callum Pascoe.

But it was home skipper Everett who scored the game’s final try - and his team’s ninth – on what had proved a thoroughly entertaining afternoon. Replacement Angus Mawson duly added the extra two points as they climbed above Hartpury ahead of Saturday’s trip to league champions Ealing Trailfinders (3pm).

CORNISH PIRATES: Iwan Price-Thomas; Arthur Relton, Chester Ribbons, Joe Elderkin, Harry Yates; Arwel Robson, Will Becconsall; Billy Young, Morgan Nelson, Alfie Petch; Milo Hallam, Matt Cannon; Alex Everett (capt), Luke Ratcliff, Tomi Agbongbon. Replacements: Sol Moody, Ollie Andrews, Ben Woodmansey, Rory Suttor, Jack Forsythe, Will Rigelsford, Angus Mawson, Harry Ascherl.

Tries: Yates (2), Nelson, Price-Thomas, Elderkin, Relton, Becconsall, Ribbons, Everett; Convs: Robson (4), Price-Thomas, Mawson; Pens: N/A.

Attendance: 1,687.