Nimmo try seals victory for Pirates in bruising West Country derby

Cornish Pirates 18, Bristol 17

A try from lock Ian Nimmo converted by Rob Cook, midway through the second half proved decisive as the Cornish Pirates battled back to win a full-blooded West Country derby at the Mennaye Field by a single point, writes Dick Straughan.

With one game remaining in phase one of the Championship season the Pirates remain third in the table by a single point from Bedford Blues, but again picked up injuries here which will worry the coaching staff ahead of Saturday's clash with Moseley.

Centre Andy Short (shoulder), wing Grant Pointer (concussion) and prop Paul Andrew (neck) all left the field in a bruising encounter which began well for the Pirates as they raced to an 8-0 lead inside the first quarter.

Pointer's long range penalty was added to by a trademark Dave Ward try as he rounded off a superb passage of play to burrow over the line from three metres out.

But Bristol rallied and finished the first half strongly claiming a well-worked try from flanker Henry Vanderglas and a penalty from Tristan Roberts to level the scores. The fly-half then struck again in first half stoppage time to give Liam Middleton's side the lead at the break.

A yellow card for wing Matt Evans and Roberts' third successful place kick early in the second half compounded problems for the Cornish side but the tide turned as Argentinean lock Mariano Sambucetti was sin-binned for punching.

With a one man advantage up front the Pirates made the pressure tell and moments later Nimmo drove over the Bristol line for the crucial score.

Roberts was on target again to cut the home lead to a point but in a fractious finale which also saw Bristol prop Darren Crompton yellow carded 30 seconds after coming on, the Pirates kept Bristol pinned back in their own 22 to secure the win.

Cornish Pirates: Cook, Pointer (Kessell h/t), Short (Evans 23, sin-bin 47-57), Cooper, D.Doherty, Penberthy (Thomas 70), Cattle (capt); Storer (Andrew 54), Ward, Paver (Rimmer 70), Smith (Maidment 62), Nimmo, Morgan, Burgess, Marriott.

Replacement (not used): Cowan-Dickie.

Scorers. Tries – Ward, Nimmo; Con – Cook; Pens – Pointer, Cook.

Yellow card: Evans.

Bristol: Goodridge, Tovey, Eves, Helu, Williams, Roberts (Jones 66), Tipuna (capt) (Slater 80+2); Irish (Thompson 73), Johnston (Lawrence 48), Hobson (Crompton 73, sin-bin 74-80+4), Sambucetti (sin-bin 55-65, Glynn 66), Townson, Vanderglas, Mama (Irish 76-80+6), Montagu (Grieve 66).

Scorers. Try – Eves; Pens – Roberts (4).

Yellow cards: Sambucetti, Crompton.

Referee: M Carley (RFU).