Dawson snatches chance to down Coventry

By PAUL SMITH

Coventry ……….. 19pts

Tries: Rigg 19, Martin 65, Lane 80

Conversions: Pellegrini 19, 80

Cornish P ………. 21pts

Tries: Elderkin 26, Stevens 51, Dawson 53

Conversions: Pittman 26, 51, 53

RUARIDH Dawson’s spectacular 70m second-half interception try proved the difference between two well-matched sides in front of another huge Butts Park Arena crowd.

The Pirates’ replacement scrum-half had only been on the field for 60 seconds when he ended a threatening home attack by picking off Will Chudley’s long pass and racing in from his own 22.

This gave the visitors a 14-point advantage which ultimately provided them with enough of a buffer to withstand a Cov comeback built around late was played in by a ridicu-passed the ball inside to tries for winger Jimmy Martin and replacement scrum-half Will Lane plus a Pat Pellegrini conversion.

Joint head coach Gavin Cattle was delighted by a result that takes Pirates a point ahead of Coventry and into second place behind Ealing.

“We absorbed an exceptional amount of pressure in the first half when we showed huge heart to keep Cov out,” he said.

“We knew we’d get some possession at some point and in the second half we forced more errors than they did which proved crucial.”

Coventry dominated a tight first half only for some determined Pirates defence to prevent this being converted into points.

Prolific home winger Ryan Hutler appeared to have gone over before being recalled by the referee for a forward pass. The hosts did eventually open the scoring through powerhouse centre Will Rigg who barged over from a quickly-tapped penalty after Pellegrini’s 50-22 took play into Cornish territory.

Cov’s No.10 also added the conversion only for Pirates to hit immediately back through centre Joe Elderkin who cut a good line to claim a score which replacement flyhalf Tom Pittman upgraded.

Pirates then hit their hosts with what proved to be a match-clinching try-double late in the third quarter.

Their first score – finished by outstanding no.8 John Stevens – followed a turnover deep inside Cornish territory that eventually won a close-range lineout from which the Pirates drove their skipper over.

Pittman’s excellent conversion was soon followed by a much simpler two-pointer after Dawson’s lung-bursting long-distance dash to the home posts.

The hosts hit back through a well-constructed try which saw play taken through multiple phases before Pellegrini’s precise cross kick picked out Martin. Crucially the Tongan international was unable to add a tricky conversion which meant that the hosts were forced to settle for a losing bonus point when he added the extras to Lane’s 80th-minute score.