Eagles losing streak continues with derby defeat at Mennaye
Pirates Amateurs 37, Falmouth Eagles 20
FALMOUTH crashed to a third successive league defeat as they were beaten in a keenly contested Cornish derby at the Mennaye Field on Saturday.
Going into the match on the back of defeats to OPMs and Newquay Hornets, the Eagles got off to the best possible start with an unconverted try for Olly Church in the opening minute, following a perfectly executed catch and drive.
The Amateurs equalised with an unconverted try after 14 minutes with scrum half Trevelyan Dougdale spotting a gap to dive over.
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The Eagles regained the lead on 20 minutes with a Tom Spiller penalty, but this slender advantage was short lived, as before the interval speedy right winger Ryan Forrester skinned his opponent twice to touchdown, with the try converted by Rhys Brownfield to make it 17-8 at half-time.
Within four minutes of the restart the Amateurs went further ahead with a Brownfield penalty, but the Eagles hit back with a deserved try by Matt Gigg.
However, the in-form Forrester was afforded too much space by the visiting defence and completed his hat-trick of tries after 59 minutes.
To their credit the Eagles kept battling and had a great passage of play, but were very unlucky only to come away with a penalty try when the home team was guilty of too many indiscretions.
This made it 25-20 with ten minutes remaining and at that stage it was anyone's game.
But the closing stages were dominated by the Amateurs, who added tries by Cas James and Dugdale with his second of the afternoon to give the home side a somewhat flattering margin of victory.
This Saturday the Eagles are at home to Plymouth Barbarian. Kick off 2.30pm.
Pirates Amateurs: R Brownfield, R Forrester, B Eddy, J Trezise, H Hudson, W Banks, T Dugdale, D Toolan, J Lugg, K Brownfield, B Brittain, M Nicholas, L Edwards, S Heath (c), M O'Leary. Reps (all used): C James, J Barrett, R Stanley.
Falmouth Eagles: A Searle, O Church, H Martin, P Varker, R Fitzpatrick, P Bernard, M Gigg, S Bailey (c), B Burner, T Spiller, P Saberton, J Instance, J Platt, D Wills, K Rodda, P Collett, T David, B Betterson.
OPMs 29, Hayle 22
HAYLE were unable to build on their impressive home win over Newquay the previous weekend as they slipped to a disappointing defeat in Plymouth on Saturday.
The result saw the Lions slip to fourth from bottom in the table ahead of Saturday's eagerly awaited home derby with the Pirates Amateurs at the Memorial Park (kick-off 3pm).
OPMS opened the scoring with a try from Chris Harmer with full back Martin Skelly adding two more before the break.
Gavin Rea then kicked two conversions to increase the home side's lead.
However, Hayle, with only one league win to their name in their last five matches, kept in touch with the hosts thanks to four penalties from Martin Strick, to keep the Lions within a converted try of the Plymouth outfit.
Bonus point
But the introduction of prop Keni West for his debut in the second half swung the match firmly in OPM's favour. And when Matt Naylor went over for the try which clinched his side the bonus point, Rea added the conversion and another penalty.
Rob Goodman scored Hayle's only try of the game and with Strick adding another five points with the boot they at least had the consolation of making the long trip home with a bonus points for their efforts.
OPMs head coach Leigh Puttock said: "That was probably our second-worst performance of the season.
"But they say a sign of a good team is they are still winning when they play poorly."
Scorers:
OPMs: Tries: Skelly (2), Harmer, Naylor; cons: Rea (3); pen: Rea. Hayle: Try: Goodman; con: Strick; pens: Strick (5).
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