Pirates Amateurs vs Paignton: Match Report

Published On: 12 January 2025Last Updated: 12 January 2025By CornishStuff

Photo: Lock Ben Martin raises clenched fists in celebration, as hooker Eli Williams, wearing a coloured scrum cap, scores the Pirates’ second try. – Photo Credit: Brian Tempest

Pirates Beat League Leaders

by Phil Westren

Pirates Amateurs 18 Paignton 13

After pleasingly winning their Counties 1 Tribute Western West new year opener away to Kingsbridge, the second-placed Pirates Amateurs welcomed league leaders Paignton to the Mennaye Field on Saturday.

The visiting Devon side won 32-20 on their own patch back in October, and this second encounter between the sides proved close again, but with the Pirates on this occasion earning a deserved 18-13 points victory.

On a dull and damp January afternoon, with the ground also slippery underfoot, nobody would have expected a spectacle. However, it was pretty darn good in the conditions and there was credit to both sides for playing some excellent rugby.

After the visitors got off to a sound start thanks to a penalty kicked by fly-half Bradley Mckee, the Pirates settled into the match and proceeded to entertain. An opening home score looked odds on to happen and, when it did, it was worth waiting for. Back and forwards impressed as play switched right to left deep into the Newlyn half, with it skilful passing that led to wing John Tyler touching the ball down at the old Western National corner. On such a day, to expect wing Sam Cahill to add the extras from the touchline was perhaps expecting too much, but he duly delivered to make it 7-3.

Play remained competitive for the rest of the half but with the ‘Ams’ having the edge. Prop Joe Best and scrum-half Sam Carter impressed, though to be fair there were plaudits for all players – in both teams.

Each side of halftime Cahill landed penalties to give the Pirates a 13-3 lead, his second strike following a searing territory-achieving midfield run by full back Ben Wragg. But after that Paignton held possession for long periods only to be denied by a stubborn and at times kamikaze-like home defence, which was though eventually breached when space was found to enable wing Henry Hoare to score wide on the left. Mckee’s successful conversion then made it all to play for.

Forays for the Pirates into their opponents’ half had proved difficult in the second period. However, following a couple of penalty awards they had a chance to score from a catch and drive at the clubhouse corner, and with all working smoothly they did just that. Cahill’s conversion attempt missed but with an eight points gap there was every hope the Pirates would hold out for victory. A last-minute penalty by Mckee earned the league leaders a losing bonus point, whilst for still second placed Pirates a pleasing win was theirs.

Photo:Impressive prop Joe Best makes a strong ‘carry’. – Photo Credit: Brian Tempest

Commenting after the match, head coach Murray Westren said:

Murray added:

“This was a very pleasing win to entertain a happy home crowd, and there was credit to both sides for the quality of rugby on display.

“In difficult conditions I thought we played some cracking rugby in the first half, plus we throughout showed considerable character defensively.”

Pirates Amateurs: 15 Ben Wragg 14 John Tyler 13 Josh Semmens 12 Harris Eddy 11 Sam Cahill 10 Oscar Marr 9 Sam Carter; 1 Dylan Arthur 2 Eli Williams 3 Joe Best 4 Nick Nowell 5 Ben Martin 6 Toby Osborne 7 Sam Carroll 8 Stan Somers (captain).

Replacements: 16 Dave Penrose 17 Tom Hutton 18 Quinn Cross.

Paignton: 15 Franco Van Rooyen 14 Jordan Hodge 13 Joshua Gillard 12 Harry Law 11 Henry Hoare 10 Bradley Mckee 9 Dewald Stoop; 1 Alex Pozniak 2 Chris Hallett 3 Mark Palk 4 Martin Bird (captain) 5 Ellis Ward 6 Oliver Williams 7 Ethan Ward 8 Jack Carlisle.

Replacements: 16 Stewart Maher 17 Elliott Browse 18 David Siddall.