Thank you to Phil Westren for the match report, direct from the Pirates website and Brian Tempest for the photographs.
London Scottish 23 Cornish Pirates 25
RFU Championship Round 4
Saturday 17th September
Phil Westren's Match Report
Cornish Pirates No. 8 Blair Cowan, a Championship top try-scorer in 2009-10 who was frustrated by injury last season, scored a late match-winning try which also gave his team a bonus point in this hard fought victory in west London.
With a draw and one win under their belt in this season's RFU Championship, the Cornish Pirates travelled to the Athletic Ground, Richmond, on Saturday, thus reacquainting themselves with an opposition side that they have played many times at the Mennaye Field in decades past.
London Scottish, a famous 'Exiles' club which achieved a seventh promotion in 11 seasons when crowned Champions of National One in May, were delighted to win their RFU Championship opener 16-11 at home to Rotherham Titans, and despite losing 32-12 away to Bristol in their second match, were keen on their return to west London to capitalise again on having home advantage.
In breezy conditions both sides made early errors after the match got underway, and there was an early penalty miss by London Scottish fly-half Dan Mugford.
Play was fairly even until the Pirates, through fly-half Ceiron Thomas, posted a kick to the right corner for an attempted catch and drive. Control was clearly the order of the day, and after lock Ian Nimmo secured possession and set a solid platform, the Pirates shunted their way to the line for a try scored by No.8 Blair Cowan. It was the back-rower's first try for the club since last December, but full-back Rob Cook's conversion attempt missed.
Within a couple of minutes Mugford was successful with his second penalty attempt, but the Pirates responded all but immediately to impose themselves with some impressive work again from their forwards for whom flanker Charlie Walker-Blair was conspicuous. Repeating their example of control, but this time from further out, the end result was the same, an unconverted try for the Pirates scored on this occasion by prop Paul Andrew
Mugford hit back with another penalty but the Pirates showed their dominance when skipper James Doherty made the important dash to set up a try for his namesake, clinical finisher David Doherty who dived over the whitewash for a third try in his third Championship appearance. Cook was faced with another difficult conversion, but this time he judged his effort perfectly to also make it third time lucky.
Keeping the scoreboard operator busy, Mugford pulled back another three points with his third penalty, making the scoreline 9-17, and thus it remained to the break.
Could the Pirates perform in the second half as ably as they had in the first? Well, we would soon find out, there a feeling that collectively a desire would prevail to maintain their focus with a determination that would see no repeat of what materialised in their opening two games - although it would be fair to say that in both those matches credit was also due the opposition for their due responses.
Redruth's former talisman, Kiwi No. 8 Mark Bright, looked to make an impact for London Scottish on the resumption of play, as did wing David Howells and full-back John Bordiss, and when the Pirates lost the services of Nimmo, who was yellow carded, the Exiles side happily took immediate advantage to score a try through replacement lock Steve Pape, a former Cornish All Black, who had only just entered proceedings. Mugford added the conversion and it was vital that the Pirates now increased their effort, especially with a player in the sin bin.
Just before Nimmo's return Mugford missed a penalty kick that would have given Scottish the lead, but the Pirates were about to be further deflated anyway when replacement hooker Dave Ward was frustratingly shown a yellow card for the fourth time this season.
It was not long before there were fears of a third 'yellow' being pulled from the pocket of referee Andrew Taylorson, but just a warning was issued to the Pirates which replacement scrum half and club captain Gavin Cattle relayed to his team. Nevertheless, the increasingly confident home side still proceeded to take advantage against the unsettled Pirates and took the lead through a second converted try scored by Pape.
With London Scottish now ahead as play entered the last quarter, there were serious concerns that the Pirates would actually let this one slip with another indifferent second half performance, but Cook kept hopes alive when slotting a penalty and the Pirates then secured their victory and a bonus point when nearing the end they backed themselves to opt for another catch and drive which ended with Cowan's unconverted killer blow.
A draw and two bonus points wins under the belt is not bad, and although there are areas to work on, as is ever the case, there's plenty of time to develop and further improve as Stage Two of the Championship is a long way away.
London Scottish:
J. Bordiss , R. Penney, B. MacDougall, G. Trueman (capt), D. Howells, D. Mugford, S. Amor (M. Heeks 73), M. Bright, A. Andrews, O. Brown, Josh Brown, B. Thomas (S. Pape 46), A. Liffchak (L. Thiede 50), A. Kwasniki (T. Standfield 73), N. Auterac (A. Clarke 29 ).
Replacements (not used): C. Ratford, J. Kellard.
Cornish Pirates: R. Cook, W. Davies, G. Pointer (S. Hill 52), T. Cooper, D. Doherty, C. Thomas (D. Ewers 79), J. Doherty (capt, G. Cattle 48), B. Cowan (R. Storer 62-67), C. Walker-Blair, D. Ewers (P. Burgess 72), I. Nimmo, L. McGlone (M. Smith 80), A. Paver (C. Rimmer 80), R. Elloway (D. Ward 53), P. Andrew (R. Storer 67).
Yellow cards: Nimmo, Ward.
Scorers:-
London Scottish - tries: Pape (2); cons: Mugford (2); pens: Mugford (3)
Cornish Pirates - tries: Cowan (2), Andrew, Doherty; cons: Cook; pen: Cook
Referee: Andrew Taylorson (RFU)
Attendance: 1,187
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