Thank you to our friends at Cornish Pirates for supplying the post and photograph. Congratulation on reaching the Championship final and good luck against London Welsh.Bristol Rugby 29 Cornish Pirates 18
RFU Championship Play-Offs Semi Finals 2nd leg
Sunday May 13th 2012
Memorial Stadium Bristol
Woll's Match Report
The sun shines on the righteous so they say.
Well it did on the Pirates as they emerged from the pressure cooker that is the Mem’ , unable to get that elusive win on this patch of green; but progressing into their second successive Championship Final regardless, thanks largely to that huge margin from the Mennaye.
It was as tense an affair as we’d expected, that sparked even before SKY had their lenses in focus; both sets of the fat ones squaring up for some frank exchange of views as everyone took their places for the kick off. Mr. Davey offered his view of things to the captains and on came the green light for action.
Cook temporarily doused any early fire with a penalty before the dust had settled, but the predicted onslaught began from the restart. Bristol’s first catch n drive rumbled and forced Sean to stick his arm out without hesitation. Seconds later, and knowing it was free ball; Roberts’ cheeky little grubber kick found Goodridge for the first of his tries, to send the home support into rapture.
Hopes at this stage of silencing them were on hold, but not for long as Marriott and Rimmer in particular put themselves about sufficiently to disrupt any momentum. In the process, the balance swung into the visitor’s hands and the Pirates themselves executed an early adventurous game plan.
Sadly, this was without reward as Cook squandered, what for him was a routine penalty. Bristol clung on and sought some profits themselves, only for another grubber by Tristan to try and break the stalemate on halfway, to bounce harmlessly it seemed into Cook’s arms…
…Or so it seemed as the full back looked ahead of him; spotted a sniff of gap, and raced fully 55m to regain the lead for his team; via the conversion as well of course.
Half time loomed and we cautiously began to believe, and despite a 2nd penalty miss by Cook. It mattered not for now, but those six points would have made the break a little bit easier on the tickers; the Cornish ones for sure.
As for Bristollian coronary issues, they had Otto’s golden chance to chew over, and maybe wonder if that may be significant at the death as well.
Energy drinks quaffed and the final quarter of this tie began as the third had ended; the culprit off the tee this time being Roberts. Happily for him this was remedied almost immediately to tie the scores and bring us back to where we’d began an hour before.
The clock by now was ticking ever louder, and the inevitable happened as finally the excellent defensive work by the Pirates was undone a dozen minutes in; Goodridge doing the business wide right for Roberts again able to add the extras.
This still left three scores to find but stranger things and all that. Well it would have been had not Burgess found himself with the pill close to his own 10m line. Nothing was on surely, rather like Doherty’s success back in November? No-one it seemed told Phil this as he shimmied once, broke through a tackle and suddenly found himself in a foot race to the Blackthorn End.
Game over? Almost.
Further tries by Watkins and Helu gave hope, but time was against them at least until Cook stepped for one final act to hammer the nail into Bristol’s season.
The celebrations at the end were both joyous and generous all around the ground. Rather like you would expect at a rugby match. Professionalism or not, there is still the place to acknowledge both sides effort on what was another fine advert for Championship rugby, even if the understandable tensions played their part too.
May ain’t over yet. There’s the Final of course and the small matter of an additional fixture at Truro County Hall (10am Tues 15 th). The Stadium supporters can happily announce a full and fit squad to pick from. I’d rather think they’ll have a few fans along too!!
Cornish Pirates
15 R. Cook 14 G. Pointer 13 A. Suniula 12 S. Hill 11 D. Doherty 10 C. Thomas 9 G. Cattle (capt) 8 K. Marriott 7 P. Burgess 6 C. Morgan 5 I. Nimmo 4 L. McGlone 3 A. Paver 2 D. Ward 1 C. Rimmer.
Replacements: all un-used R. Storer, 17 R. Elloway, R. Brits, 19 M. Smith, 20 D. Ewers, 22 T. Kessell, 21 M. Evans
Tries: Cook, Burgess
Cons: Cook
Pens: Cook 2
Bristol
15 J. Goodridge 14 W. Helu 13 F. Otto 12 L. Eves 11 G. Watkins 10 T. Roberts (22 M. James 73mins) 9 R. Tipuna (21 T. Slater 68mins) 1 M. Irish (17 M. Lilley 39-40mins blood, 66mins) 2 J. Harris-Wright (16 R. Johnston 49mins) 3 J. Hobson (18 W. Thompson 66mins) 4 M. Sambucetti (19 B. Glynn 49mins) 5 R. Winters 6 J. Ovens 7 J. Merriman 8 I. Grieve(c) (20 H. Vanderglas 66mins)
Replacements: all used
Tries: Goodridge 2, Watkins, Helu
Cons: Roberts 2, James
Pens: Roberts
Match Officials
Referee: Sean Davey
Assistants: Chris Sharp & Roger Baileff
4th Official: Ian Hillier
Reserve Officials: Darren Gamage, Richard Parker-Sedgemore
TMO: Steve Savage
Attendance: 7356
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