By Phil Westren/DC
December 4 2006

In this northern latitude sunset comes early and by the time we kicked of at 2.15 the sun was already dropping in the west. The long shadow over the northen half of the pitch adding to the sense of a different place in a different land and the feel of another era altogether.

Cowley sees red as below par Pirates drop off the top

Saturday 25/11/06 - Otley 23 Cornish Pirates 19

DC's Introduction To Phil's Report

Thanks to all of you at Otley for the welcome & hospitality at your fine old ground & town and some pics to give you a taste of the local scene & flavours.

In this northern latitude sunset comes early and by the time we kicked of at 2.15 the sun was already dropping in the west. The long shadow over the northen half of the pitch adding to the sense of a different place in a different land and the feel of another era altogether.

A genuine & real old rugby club I must admit to adding the steam train, which I expected to see any minute

The club speciality: sausage meat pie & mushy peas

And how they should be eaten

Phil Westren's Report
Supporters travelling up north last Saturday clearly knew that the Pirates were going well - very well, but also time for caution, with no scope to take the foot off the pedal, there a demand that full focus be maintained.

Cornish Exiles

Yes, the league leaders beat the Yorkshire outfit 39-0 back at Camborne in the season's opener, but on their own Cross Green patch it was likely to be a far different prospect. Otley are renowned for the strength of their forward play, and although they have had their share of injury problems, it was anticipated that the recent loan signings of props Justin 'Bull' Wring from Bristol and Steve Barretto from Doncaster would provide a solid platform in conditions that would suit them.

Also, of course, they still had the services at fly-half of ace kicker Simon Binns, a mighty danger to any team.

The Pirates side showed three changes from the one that started against London Welsh, Sam Betty given the open-side berth to replace a hamstring-hampered Iva Motusaga, while there was a recall at lock for Heino Senekal. However, the main concern had to be the late withdrawal with a stomach complaint of their talismanic leader Gavin Cattle, his place at scum-half taken by James Moore.

When play got underway on a sunny afternoon, it was the home side, including in their line-up former Pirates Dave Whitehead and Neil Chivers, that had an early chance of posting points on the board. Applying pressure well inside the Pirates half, the Cornish team were penalised for being off-side, but the penalty attempt from Binns was carried wide by the wind.

As both teams sparred with each other, play was pretty even, but as the half developed there were too many handling errors from the Pirates to enable them to put any purposeful phases together.

Otley also struggled to get any continuity in their play, but approaching the half-hour mark they opened the scoring when wing Rob Kitching was on target with a snapped drop-goal, attempted as the advantage was played after the Pirates were caught offside.

This was a game which was inevitably hard fought up front, frustration levels often running high to test the patience of referee Mr. Terry Hall. Binns kicked a penalty when flanker Chris Cracknell was shown yellow, but the Pirates responded similarly through fly-half Alberto Di Bernardo after Otley centre Paul Mooney was likewise carded.

Penalty to Pirates

A second penalty for Di Bernardo made it 6-all at the break, the period a chance to reappraise events to date, which had been anything but inspirational.

Hopes were raised that the Pirates were back on track thanks to a third Di Bernardo penalty, which gave them the lead for the first time just two minutes into the second half, but Otley came back strongly with chip and chases from wing Danny Smith and full-back Ian Shuttleworth whose thrust was halted by centre Steve Winn, who became the second Pirates' player to be shown yellow.

'Crackers Cream' - Chris Cracknel's try

The boot of Binns also now dictated play, a position set from where Otley lock Howard Parr scored at the corner, but Cracknell celebrated his return to proceedings with a try that put the Pirates ahead once more. However, there was still no real flow or control in their game, and Binns, who was always likely to make them pay for an undisciplined and indifferent performance, duly did just that. Four penalties from the northern kicking maestro made it 23-14, the Pirates cause certainly not helped when replacement flanker Tim Cowley was red-carded for an apparent dangerous late tackle.

A final effort was still made to turn the game around, there a chance when Wring was sin-binned, and although Cornish hopes were raised when lock Joe Beardshaw was driven over out wide, it was all too late.

"Joe Beardshaw was driven over out wide"

The reality check is that the Pirates have an occasional habit to falter and thus fail on the road, this defeat ending an eight match unbeaten run and knocking them off the top spot and down to fourth, it vital that good performances now follow against Waterloo and Moseley before the pre-Christmas crackers at home against Leeds and Plymouth Albion.

Scorers:-

Otley - try: Parr; pens: Binns (6).

Cornish Pirates - tries: Cracknell, Beardshaw; pens: Di Bernardo (3).

Otley
I. Shuttleworth (c - X. Andre 49), R. Kitching (A. Monks 64), P. Mooney, M. Maifea, D. Smith, S. Binns, N. Chivers, M. Stockdale, J. Tiffany, S. Connor (Livesey 74), D. Whitehead, Howard, S. Barretto, D. Sayers, J. Wring.

Replacements (not used) - P. Turner, B. Steele, B. Back, A. Brown.
Yellow card - P. Mooney, J. Wring.

Pirates
A. Winnan, R. McAtee, D. Roke (J. Hylton 66), S. Winn (D. Bell 60), L. Vinnicombe, A. Di Bernardo, G. Cattle ©, M. Evans, S. Betty (T. Cowley 49), C., Cracknell, J. Beardshaw, H. Senekal, S. Heard (D. Seal 49), V. Ma'asi, A. Paver (c).

Replacements (not used) - D. Dawidiuk, J. Inglis, G. Anderson.
Yellow card - C. Cracknell, S. Winn.
Red card - T. Cowley.

Referee - Terry Hall (RFU).

Attendance - 918.