By Phil Westren

CHAMPIONSHIP RUGBY (FRIDAY)

London Scottish 26 Cornish Pirates 15

THE outcome for the Cornish Pirates was naturally disappointing, but there was also rightly deserved credit due a slick London Scottish side whose blend of gifted youth and experience proved a little too much against the below-par visitors.

The Cornish Pirates side showed four changes in their starting line-up from the one that ran out against Ealing Trailfinders.

Scrum-half Dan Hiscocks, who was an early replacement the previous week for the injured Cam Jones, got the nod in the number nine shirt, and the experienced propping pair of Billy Keast and Jay Tyack were ready to make their first league starts of the league campaign, along with lock Matt Cannon.

After the visitors started well and saw a decent chance go awry, they were soon made to pay.

London Scottish winger Hayden Hyde posed a danger with an excellent run, and taking play to the line the opening try was scored on the quarter of an hour mark by lock George Hammond. Lloyd-Seed added the extra two points.

The hosts went further in front when 18-year-old scrum-half Lucas Friday, son of former England sevens player Mike Friday, helped set up flanker Bailey Ransom to dot down.

Things were not going well for the Pirates, who suffered another setback when Eoin O’Connor had to depart injured, with his place in the second row taken by replacement Charlie Rice.

Maintaining dominance, the exiles side was quick to score again. Hyde was hauled down just short on the Pirates line, and shortly after, following referee Mr Walbaum consulting one of his assistants, it was man of the match Friday who was awarded a try with Lloyd-Seed again adding the extras.

The Pirates appeared to up their efforts, and a score would eventually materialise though when, after backs added weight to a driving maul, a cross-field kick by fly-half Bruce Houston was snaffled by wing Arthur Relton, who wriggled over at the corner. Houston’s difficult conversion went wide meaning it was 21-5 at the break.

Centre Joe Elderkin makes a break at London Scottish on Friday night. Picture: Brian Tempest
Centre Joe Elderkin makes a break at London Scottish on Friday night. Picture: Brian Tempest (Brian Tempest)

Bokenham and Hiscocks provided some early pep to the Pirates after the break, but 10 minutes into the second period the home side scored again through hooker Sam Riley, who has played for England A this year, following a driving maul.

The Pirates now introduced a handful of replacements to proceedings, including among them debutant Tomiwa Agbongbon. He was quick to impress, and another replacement in hooker Harry Hocking then scored the team’s second try. Replacement fly-half Iwan Jenkins was luckless with his conversion attempt, as he was when good play from centre Joe Elderkin led to a try from Hiscocks that made it 26-15 with 12 minutes to go.

Scrum-half Dan Hiscocks scores the Pirates' third try which reduced the deficit to 11 points. Picture: Brian Tempest
Scrum-half Dan Hiscocks scores the Pirates' third try which reduced the deficit to 11 points. Picture: Brian Tempest (Brian Tempest)

There was still time for the Pirates to spoil the party for the London Scottish faithful, but it wasn’t to be.

Agbongbon showed again what a strong runner he is with ball in hand, centre Matt McNab defended well, and a charge down and burst from Bokenham provided hope for a fourth try to be scored.

But when from a lineout the Pirates were held up, a goal line drop-out followed, and the team would fall short of getting anything out of the match.

CORNISH PIRATES: Will Trewin, Robin Wedlake (Charlie McCaig 50), Matt McNab, Joe Elderkin, Arthur Relton, Bruce Houston (Iwan Jenkins 44), Dan Hiscocks (Will Rigelsford 78); Billy Keast (Billy Young 51), Morgan Nelson (Harry Hocking 50), Jay Tyack (Ollie Andrews 51), Matt Cannon, Eoin O’Connor (Charlie Rice, 26; Tomiwa Agbongbon, 50), Josh King, Will Gibson, Hugh Bokenham.

Tries: Relton, Hocking, Hiscocks; Convs: N/A; Pens: N/A.