Pirates Amateurs Vs Nailsea & Backwell: Match Report

Ams Win ‘Papa Johns’ Cup Opener                          

By Phil Westren

Pirates Amateurs 38   Nailsea & Backwell 29

League promotion secured the previous weekend, for their next match the Pirates Amateurs welcomed Nailsea & Backwell to the Mennaye Field on Saturday, in what was Round 1 of the ‘Papa Johns Community Cup’.

The Cup competition is named after the pizza company Papa John’s, which sponsors the tournament, and playing against unknown opposition, who play their league rugby in Counties 1 Tribute Western North, the Pirates ultimately emerged deserved winners.

‘The Ravens’, to give the competitive visiting side their nickname, had proved a useful outfit who started the scoreboard ticking when full-back Sam Chidzey stretched to score an unconverted try at the scoreboard corner.

Responding in positive style, however, after home prop Joe Best carried strongly into the Newlyn half of the field the Pirates scored two tries through full-back Ben Wragg, the first of which he also converted.

Next on the try-scoring sheet for the Mennaye lads was scrum-half Jake Hole, who was making his 100^th appearance for the club. Wragg added the extra two points before the visitors had the last say in the half with a try from centre Jamie Wood and a conversion slotted by scrum half Joe Reed.

So, 19-12 at the break, this game was proving to be a closely fought affair before the visitors regained the lead with tries from wing Ben Perfect and fly-half Harry O’Regan, the second of which Reed converted.

The Pirates needed a wake-up call, which suitably came when skipper Stan Somers and centre Cal Gardner both scored tries, with Wragg again converting each.

A nine points gap was opened up, and although the Ravens scored again through replacement Harrison Gould, the Pirates had the last say when man of the match Gardner’s second try made the final score 38-29.

Speaking after the game, Pirates Amateurs’ head coach Murray Westren said:

“It was one of those games when we were unsure what to expect from the opposition. Our gauge was that they would prove difficult customers to overcome and, credit to them, that is how it worked out.

“After the tension and excitement of being crowned Counties 1 Tribute Western West champions last week we were also unsure as to how we might perform, but there was need to worry on that front. We made a few changes but the effort in general overall was again good. There was a spell when we appeared to slacken off for them to take advantage, but we thankfully soon got back on track.”

Pirates Amateurs:   15 Ben Wragg 14 Dec Marshall 13 Cal Gardner 12 Josh Semmens 11 John Tyler 10 Harris Eddy 9 Jake Hole; 1 James Lambourn 2 Eli Williams 3 Joe Best 4 Toby Osborne 5 Ben Martin 6 Stan Somers (captain) 7 Sam Carroll 8 Archie Pilcher.

Replacements:   16 Dave Penrose 17 Dylan Arthur 18 Wes Eddy 19 Nick Nowell 20 Sam Coogan 20 Morgan Holman.

📷Jake Hole who scored a try for the Pirates Amateurs in what was his 100th appearance for the team.

(Next up for the Pirates Amateurs is a Round 2 match in the competition at home to Sherborne on Saturday week, the 26^th April, kick-off at 2.30pm)