By Phil Westren

PREMIERSHIP CUP POOL E (SATURDAY)

Hartpury 41 Cornish Pirates 26

THE Cornish Pirates rounded off the first half of their Premiership Cup campaign with a 41-26 defeat at Championship rivals Hartpury, that despite deservedly leading 19-10 at half-time.

Both sides were seeking their first win of the competition this year with both having lost to top-flight outfits Exeter Chiefs and Gloucester.

For the Pirates there were five changes in their starting line-up from the one that ran out against Gloucester at Kingsholm. Fly-half Iwan Jenkins and hooker Sol Moody – a double scorer against Gloucester – were making their first starts of the season, whilst Arthur Relton returned on the wing in place of Matt McNab who, along with Charlie McCaig, formed a fresh centre partnership.

With the main grass pitch declared unplayable at the home team’s 4ED Hartpury Stadium (named in honour of the charity set up by ex-Gloucester lock Ed Slater to raise awareness of motor neurone disease), it was agreed to play the game on an adjacent 3G pitch.

Three former Pirates – Harry Bazalgette, Will Crane and Jarrard Hayler – were in the starting 15, while five of the squad represented Gloucester against the Cornishmen a fortnight earlier.

Despite Storm Bert making an impact, the Pirates got off to an encouraging start when in the 10th minute, with the wing pairing of Robin Wedlake and Arthur Relton taking play to the blind side, it was scrum-half Cam Jones who lent support to score to the left of the posts. Fly-half Iwan Jenkins added the extra two points

From the restart after disrupting Hartpury’s possession and with McCaig firing off a fine wide pass, it led to the ball being fed inside to full-back Will Trewin to score an unconverted try.

Hartpury improved, but following good play from skipper Hugh Bokenham and lock Charlie Rice, further influential support from McCaig saw a nudge that led to Relton taking advantage of a cross-field kick to gather and score the Pirates’ third. Jenkins was on target with his second conversion of the afternoon.

As the game developed, and of no real surprise, Hartpury started to show glimpses of what they had to offer. Their Cornwall scrum-half Mike Austin was a busy performer, and a try scored by Aristot Benz-Salomon and converted by Bazalgette reminded all that the home team still posed a real threat.

In the build to the break, the Pirates were forced into giving too many penalties away and, taking the opportunity to chance a kick at goal in the last minute, Bazalgette duly delivered to make it 19-10.

The Pirates needed a good start but Austin took advantage of some untidy play to run clear and score. Bazalgette duly converted, and the deficit was now just two points.

Maintaining pressure on the Pirates, another converted try scored by Crane saw Hartpury take a lead which was then extended on the hour mark when wing Ollie Holliday crossed out wide for their bonus point fourth. Bazalgette struck a fine conversion to see the scoreboard transformed, 31-19.

Conditions just got worse, but the Pirates quickly hit back thanks to their own bonus point providing try scored by skipper Bokenham, which was well converted by replacement Bruce Houston.

However, the seven points were soon cancelled out when Hartpury’s final try of the match was scored by Hayler. Bazalgette again converted and then near the very end slotted his second penalty.

CORNISH PIRATES: Trewin, Wedlake, McNab, McCaig, Relton (Price-Thomas, 62), Jenkins (Houston, 62), Jones (Hiscocks, 46); Young (Michel, 62), Moody, French (Tyack, 62), Rice (Cannon, 62), O’Connor, King, Gibson (Agbongbon, 40), Bokenham (capt).

Tries: Jones, Trewin, Relton, Bokenham; Convs: Jenkins (2), Houston; Pens: N/A.