Pirates Amateurs Vs Sherborne : Match Report

Pirates Progress in The Cup

By Phil Westren

Pirates Amateurs 57  – Sherborne 10

Playing their Round 2 match in the ‘Papa Johns’ Community Cup, the Pirates won convincingly at home on Saturday against Dorset side Sherborne.

After home prop James Lambourn emerged first from the tunnel for his 100^th appearance, on a wet Mennaye Field pitch the Pirates scored all but from the very start of this contest. Playing towards Newlyn, it was skipper Stan Somers who the crossed the line for game’s opening try, which was well converted by full-back Ben Wragg.

The ‘Ams’ certainly impressed in the early stages, with Wragg soon on the scoresheet again when he converted his own try scored at the Newlyn posts. One or two chances also went begging before prop Joe Best powered over for another converted try.

The visitors were struggling to get into the game, although full-back Sonny Staunton strived to test the Pirates defence and prop Oscar Whittaker appeared as a nuggety and able young forward. However, there was no stopping the Cornish side who, before halftime, conjured up two more fine tries. Both were scored at the Newlyn gate corner, the first by wing Dan-Rhys Evans, who had a very sound game, and the second by flanker Eli Williams, which followed a clever kick out of hand by man of the match fly-half Sam Cahill.

📷Fly-half Sam Cahill was the Pirates man of the match. - Photo Credit: Brian Tempest

Sherborne impressed at the start of the second half, but without any reward, and to rub salt into their wounds the Pirates then added to the 31-0 halftime scoreline. Replacement Sam Coogan set up a try-scoring opportunity that was taken by scrum half Jake Hole, and space was created for centre Josh Semmens to follow up with another. Both tries were converted by Wragg.

Quite deservedly, the efforts of the Dorset side were eventually rewarded when, after Whittaker and Staunton had again played a part, it was fly-half Chris Reed who lent support and crossed at the scoreboard corner.

The Pirates responded with a converted try scored by number 8 Archie Pilcher, and then there was a second try scored by Sherborne’s Reed, though it was the ‘Ams’ who had the last say when Evans stretched to score his second try of the afternoon.

Pleased with his team’s win, after the match Pirates Amateurs’ head coach Murray Westren said:

“We didn’t know what to fully expect from our opponents and having experienced poor weather in the build-up pitch conditions were a little difficult in places. Having said that, we overall managed to play some very good rugby and scored one or two excellent tries.”

📷Backrower Archie Pilcher makes yardage for the Pirates. - Photo Credit: Brian Tempest

Pirates Amateurs:   15 Ben Wragg 14 Dec Marshall 13 Josh Semmens 12 Harris Eddy 11 Dan-Rhys Evans 10 Sam Cahill 9 Jake Hole; 1 James Lambourn 2 Wes Eddy 3 Joe Best 4 Stan Somers (captain) 5 Ben Martin 6 Eli Williams 7 Sam Carroll 8 Archie Pilcher.

Replacements:  S1 Dave Penrose S2 Dylan Arthur S3 Nick Nowell S4 Zak Chenoweth S5 Rhodri McAtee S6 Sam Coogan.

Sherborne:   15 Sonny Staunton 14 Cawley Maynard 13 Ben Austin 12 Thomas Williams 11 Sky Foster 10 Chris Reed 9 Ryan Hunt; 1 Oscar Whittaker 2 Archie Whittaker 3 Stephen Vincent 4 Simon Ryall 5 Henry Nias 6 Charlie Gunning 7 Deklyn Bane 8 Finlay Nias.

Replacements:   S1 Joe Chandler S2 Owen Summerhayes S3 William Henderson S4 Cameron Small S5 Max O’Loughlin.

Scorers: 

Pirates Amateurs – tries: Dan-Rhys Evans (2), Stan Somers, Ben Wragg, Joe Best, Eli Williams, Jake Hole, Josh Semmens, Archie Pilcher; cons: Ben Wragg (6).                                                                                                                                                                                             Sherborne – tries: Reed (2).

(In Round 3 of the competition the Pirates Amateurs have earned themselves a tough away tie against Brunel University. Coached by former Cornish ‘Pirate’ Marlen Walker, they won 89-15 away to Gosport & Wareham on Saturday.)

📷Ben Wragg scored a try and kicked six conversions in the match. - Photo Credit: Brian Tempest