Pirates Amateurs v Withycombe

Twin Bin Sinks Withy as Pirates Pillage Bonus Point

Pirates Amateurs 34
Withycombe 27 

Two yellow cards finally put paid to an off-colour Withycombe challenge in Penzance as they slumped to a third defeat in four games.

Withycombe travelled to bottom-of-the league Pirates Amateurs for what the form book promised as a gimme.

Withycombe appeared as though they were still on the bus for 70 minutes though as they lacked the energy of a Penzance side clearly low on morale. The Pirates opened the scoring with a try on seven minutes having already missed a shot at goal, their big runners making big gains and Withycombe's defence eventually succumbing after a lot of backpedalling.

Withycombe fought back with two penalties in two minutes from Glenn Channing, one an absolute doozy from 45 metres out. It seemed as though Withycombe were just doing enough to stay interested though, as the home side were quicker off the line in defence and bossed the gainline in attack. The teams traded penalties to turn around with the score 12-10 in Withy's favour, witht he visitors thankful that the Pirates kicker brought the wrong boots, missing three penalty shots in all.

Pirates started the second half the brighter, some swift phase play giving them a try under the posts to lead 17-12. Channing responded with a penalty to keep Withy within reach.

The home side struck the hammer blows after Withycombe's Mike Richards was controversially yellow carded for a high tackle on 63 minutes; a penalty kick was followed up by a workmanlike try with the one-man advantage, and another against 13 men after lock Jon Axon was also given a rest spell for infringing at the ruck.

Richards' reintroduction and a few choice words from Channing appeared to give Withy the impetus they sorely lacked up until then; with seven minutes to go there was precious little left to play for at 34-15. Withycombe started to tap-and-go and make some serious inroads to the Pirates defence. Richards was first adjudged to have been held up over the line, before being awarded a try two minutes later; Phil Sluman setting the stage for a two-metre pick-and-go effort. Then with the last play of the game, the returning Jon Axon's lineout take set a driving maul which rumbled 20 metres for Richards to grab his second try. 

Channing nailed the conversion to salvage a losing bonus point, elevating them to fourth, but it was all too little, too late for Withycombe who will be disappointed at letting this one slip through their fingers. Next week the top-of-the-table Exeter University host the first XV while the 2nd team welcome Topsham to Raleigh Park.