Pirates have 'mountain to climb' to make play-offs
Cornish Pirates lost for the 10th time in 22 games this season [Brian Tempest] Cornish Pirates have "a mountain to climb" if they are to make the Champ play-offs, according to joint-head coach Gavin Cattle. The Pirates were beaten 36-12 at top-six rivals Bedford as they dropped to seventh place with the top six making the post-season. The loss was Pirates' second in succession after a defeat at home to Worcester Warriors last week that saw Cattle's fellow joint-head coach Alan Paver banned for six games after he was sent off for slapping an opposition player.
The Pirates final four matches are all against sides in the top six. "Let's face it we've left ourselves a mountain to climb now," Cattle told BBC Radio Cornwall. "It starts with Chinnor next week, Ealing away, Coventry at home, Hartpury away, so we've got to win three of those four to stand a chance I think.
"So every game's a cup final for us now. " Pirates found themselves 24-5 down at half time at Goldington Road as Fyn Brown, Lucas Titherington and Dean Adamson scored first-half tries for the hosts - Sol Moody's unconverted try was Pirates' only score. Oisin Heffernan got a bonus-point try for the hosts 10 minutes into the second half before Alex Everett pulled one back in the final 10 minutes, only for Will Maisey to score a late fifth try for Bedford.
"You've got to hand it to Bedford, physically there they were on top today, especially holding up in the tackle," added Cattle. "It's something we'll have to look at next week because if I was Chinnor I'd be licking my lips at that opportunity. "Physically we're better than that, but you've got to hand it to Bedford.
"I'm just disappointed that we didn't give a better showing of ourselves. "We had a couple of errors in that first half, whether that clouded our decision-making is something we'll have to look at. " Related internet links Cornish Pirates