CORNISH Pirates joint head coach Alan Paver believes an away win at Chinnor tomorrow (3pm) can help keep alive the club’s push for a top four finish in this season’s Championship.

Buoyed by victory over lowly Cambridge last Sunday, the Pirates will travel in good stead as they look to build on the positives of a performance that ensured them of an eighth league win of the season.

The visitors stick largely with an unchanged starting XV, the sole change coming in the back-row where the inclusion of Fintan Coleman means Alex Everett switches to No.8 with Tomi Agbongbon dropping down to the bench.

Chinnor, who sit 10th in the standings, come into the game on the back of a hard-fought draw against Hartpury and Paver has warned his team will need to be at their best if they are to get anything from their trip to Kingsey Road.

“They are a decent side,” said Paver. “They are tough, they’ve got a good forward pack and they are well-coached, so it’s going to come down to small margins on the day. We do feel, though, that if we go there and put our best foot forward and the energy is right, then we give ourselves a chance. It is, however, not a ‘gimme’ in any way.

“We’ve had a short week after playing on Sunday and it’s a game which we’ve earmarked as one which, if we get it right, then it’s possible to get an away win. Doing that at this level is tough, but if we can, it’s a big step forward for us.”

Tries from Harry Hocking (2), Jay Tyack, Robin Wedlake, Matt Cannon, Chester Ribbons, Matt McNab, James French and Bruce Houston showed the attacking flair of the Pirates in their 64-35 victory last time out - and Paver believes with pitches getting firmer, the chance to play fast, attacking rugby is there to take advantage of.

“It was an exciting game and we scored some decent tries,” added Paver. “We’ve gone through the wet winter and now the pitches are drying up, it made for a good outing.”

CORNISH PIRATES: Will Trewin; Robin Wedlake, Charlie McCaig, Chester Ribbons, Matt McNab; Bruce Houston, Dan Hiscocks; Billy Young, Harry Hocking, Jay Tyack; Josh King, Charlie Rice; Matt Cannon, Fintan Coleman, Alex Everett (capt). Replacements: Dylan Irvine, James French, Ben Woodmansey, Alfie Bell, Tomi Agbongbon, Will Becconsall, Iwan Jenkins, Harry Yates.