Moseley 29 Cornish Pirates 20

Apr 21 2008 By Roger Clarke

TWO indifferent displays against relegation rivals Sedgley Park and Launceston were forgotten as Moseley sank Cornish Pirates with a broadside of running rugby.

Pirates won a line-out from the kick-off but centre Jack Adams intercepted and made 40 metres before the ball was spun to hooker Adam Caves and then on to wing Charlie Sharples to finish off.

Fly-half Thomas Hayes added the extras and the red and blacks were 7-0 up against their fourth-placed opponents.

Moseley continued to pressure but had no more points to show and when full-back Andy Binns was sin-binned Pirates took advantage when second-row Bruce Cummins crashed over.

Former Moseley favourite, fly-half Ollie Thomas, failed with the conversion but made up for that with a long-range penalty.

Hayes, not to be outdone, landed one of his own for 10-8 at the break.

As in the first half, Moseley were quick out of the blocks in the scond and a period of pick-and-drive eventually saw Adams scamper over and Hayes found his range form the touchline for 17-8.

Adams, again, collected a stray Pirates pass and cut through their defence to send wing Nathan Bressington over on the overlap and Moseley appeared to have added a fourth when back-row James Rodwell sent prop Nathan Williams clear only for referee Nathan Rose to decide the pass was forward.

Pirates took advantage of the let-off when Gareth Steenson, on for Thomas, sent replacement centre Mark Ireland over for a try and then added the conversion.

But when Pirates' replacement props Alan Paver and Sam Heard were yellow-carded it was Moseley's turn to take control and flanker Ollie Atkinson was duly driven over and Hayes made it 29-15.

Heard, back from the bin, had the final say with a try in the last move of the game.

Coach Ian Smith was delighted at the display which moved Moseley to sixth bottom with 11 wins and a game to play.

MOSELEY: Binns; Sharples, Adams, James, Bressington; Hayes, Taylor; Williams, Caves, Buxton; Arnold, Stott, Atkinson, Bignall, Rodwell. Replacements: Ostleton, Mason, Ensor, Evans, Lewis, Cox, Winter.

PIRATES: Winnan; Moore, Devlin, Winn, Tuohy; Thomas McAtee; Cook, Elloway, Seal, Cumming, Hobson, Cracknell, Motu-saga, Evans: Replacements: Paver, Heard, Dawidiuk, Betty, Lilo, Ireland, Steenson. Referee: D Rose (RFU).