Pirates Amateurs Vs Barnstaple II: Match Report

‘Ams’ Achieve Their Deserved Promotion                                

By Phil Westren

Pirates Amateurs 29  – Barnstaple II 14

At the end of a season which demanded a combination of hard work, determination, togetherness, commitment and, inevitably, no lack of skill, in their final game the Pirates Amateurs earned their just rewards – a win and PROMOTION!

Reaching their final game of the season, the ‘Ams’ were in pole position to finish the Counties 1 Tribute Western West League as Champions, but there was no guarantee, and when the team emerged from the tunnel before the start of the game, they could be forgiven for perhaps feeling a little nervous.

After a minute’s applause in memory of stalwart ‘Pirate’ John Gendall, who has recently passed away, this contest started on a sunny but trickily windy afternoon. Play was initially evenly contested but, after the Pirates applied pressure inside the visitors’ ‘22’, the ball was worked to centre Josh Semmens who crossed at the Newlyn gate corner.  Making light of the conversion attempt, full-back Ben Wragg struck his kick perfectly.

📷Happy Pirates are pictured at the end of the match. - Photo Credit: Brian Tempest

The Pirates appeared comfortably underway, only for wing John Tyler to soon be directed to the sin bin after being shown a yellow card for what looked like making a dangerous tackle.

It was a chance for the North Devon side to perhaps take advantage and get some points of their own on the board, but no, as when a long-range penalty was shortly after offered the Pirates, it was this time the boot of wing Sam Cahill who made light of the distance.

As play built to halftime there were two important episodes of play. The first was an excellent display of swift passing and support that ended with prop Dylan Arthur stretching to score an unconverted try, and the second was when centre Semmens made a thumper of a tackle as the Barnstaple side threatened near to the Pirates’ line. Anyway, a 15-0 lead to the Pirates come the interval was both pleasing and fully deserved.

Into the second forty the Pirates showed a hunger to dominate, and in clinical fashion. Back in the action Tyler first scored to the left of the posts and then Semmens got on the scoresheet once more. Both efforts were converted by Wragg to make it 29-0.

To their credit, in time remaining ‘Barum’, to give Barnstaple their nickname, conjured up two converted tries of their own. Lively scrum half Ben Beattie got the first and full back Alex Macmillan the second, both of which were converted by centre Euan Kent.

📷Centre Josh Semmens is congratulated on scoring the game's opening try. - Photo Credit: Brian Tempest

Come the final whistle, with the scoreboard reading 29-14 in favour of the Pirates, it was time to celebrate in front of the big crowd, included among it many prestigious former players such as Graham ‘Granite’ Waters and Roger Lane. The clubhouse was buzzing pre-match, which was now about to be heightened into the early evening. Hey, it was one of those special occasions to stay long in the memory.

Speaking at the end of the game, delighted Pirates Amateurs’ head coach Murray Westren said:

“To win our last league game to secure promotion was pretty special. The lads might well have been a little nervous pre-match, but they didn’t show it – leaving that to me!

“We have played some terrific rugby during the season and the team has grown as a group. John (fellow coach John Stevens) and I couldn’t be more pleased.

“The players, naturally, deserve the plaudits, but I would also like to thank the many cogs in the wheel and everyone who has helped and supported us in whatever way. You have been fantastic.”

📷Wing Sam Cahill has support as he makes a break at the sunny Mennaye Field. - Photo Credit: Brian Tempest

 Pirates Amateurs:   15 Ben Wragg14 Sam Cahill 13 Josh Semmens 12 Harris Eddy 11 John Tyler 10 Oscar Marr 9 Rhodri McAtee; 1 Dylan Arthur 2 Eli Williams 3 Joe Best 4 Toby Osborne 5 Ben Martin 6 Tom Hutton 7 Sam Carroll 8 Stan Somers (captain).

Replacements:  16 James Lambourn 17 Archie Pilcher 18 Dan-Rhys Evans.

(The Pirates Amateurs will now have the challenge to play in Regional 2 South West next season, whilst this coming Saturday they are at home to Nailsea Backwell in the first round of the Papa Johns’ National Cup competition – ko 2.30pm)

📷Scrum half Rhodri McAtee congratulates try-scorer - Photo Credit: Brian Tempest