Swashbuckling Pirates Steal The Show At The Mennaye

Withycombe travelled all the way West on Saturday, the next stop being America on the map as they took on Pirates Amateurs at The Mennaye. The Withies were looking to carry on in their winning ways after the previous weeks victory over Lanner, but once again a "topsy turvy" game wouldn't end in their favour.

From the kick off the Pirates had all the pressure and possession in the first ten minutes. Steve Evans, recently back from Truro, kept Withycombe pinned back in their own 22 for much of it. He missed a penalty kick on five minutes, but would add the conversion on a Pirates try on ten mnutes from a scrum.

Withycombe hit back with a Sam Conway penalty, only for that to be cancelled out by Evans on eighteen minutes, the scores sitting at 10-3. The next ten mniutes of play would be much like a circus. Alex Taylor went on a great run and should have scored. Then Withycombes fly half Glenn Channing was sent to the sin bin, and one play later a Pirates player was sent off for stamping! The returning Ryan Hamilton got on the score sheet for Withycombe after a bulldozing run, Conway adding the extras to tie the game at 10-10.

On the half hour mark, Conway put in a cross field kick, and winger Sam Warren would finish off fantastically for a try after dancing up the touchline whilst using his feet to keep the ball in play, eventually diving on the ball in the goal area to score. After getting back in front, Withycombes defence would again cave in to pressure. From a lineout the Pirates would maul it for a try, and form the ensuing kick off they would go the length of the pitch to score on the last play of the half, both of them converted as they took a 24-15 lead into half time.

Withycombes forwards were doing a demolition job in the scrums, but to no gain. After fifteen minutes of the second half, Pirates Amateurs had another another try and penalty to the score line, and were sitting pretty at 32-15. Withycombe had to start fronting up, and on twenty one minutes, from a lineout, Channing fed Ben Clark who went through and scored a converted try.

Ten minutes later and Captain Connor O'Shaughenessy would set up a grandstand finish as his try, after numerous scrum penalties were awarded to Withycombe, went over after a pick and go, Conway converting to make it 32-29 with minutes to go. Unfortunately, even with maximum pressure on the Pirates try line, Amateurs managed to hold the Green and Blacks out as they hung on notch an important victory.

Withycombe host basement boys Wessex at Raleigh Park for next weeks instalment from the Tribute Cornwall and Devon league.