THE Cornish Pirates’ wait for their first league win of the season goes on, but they did end their losing start with a 15-15 draw with Doncaster Knights on Saturday.

Having been narrowly beaten by Hartpury and Ampthill, the hosts’ squad saw two changes to the starting XV.

Skipper Alex Everett was unwell and replaced late on by Tomiwa Agbongbon at No.8 while lock Matt Cannon was injured, allowing Alfie Bell his first outing of the season.

Australian back-rower Luke Ratcliff was passed fit and named on the bench.

On what was a dull, damp and breezy afternoon, it was not long before the Pirates sparked into attack mode and through excellent running and handling, with wing Ben Cambriani and full-back Iwan Price-Thomas involved, the latter scampered over for a fine opening try on seven minutes. Fly-half Arwel Robson couldn’t slot the conversion attempt.

The visitors responded five minutes later as following slick work by former Bath scrum-half Ollie Fox and his halfback partner Russell Bennett, the ball was moved right for former ‘Pirate’ Matt McNab to suddenly pick a line that saw him run and dive for a spectacular try scored at the posts. Bennett added the extra two points (5-7).

This was a match in which Agbongbon impressed though when running with ball in hand, and wing Arthur Relton next went close to scoring for the Pirates.

The home team were right up for the challenge, and it was one of several impressive bursts from man-of-the-match centre Chester Ribbons who ran, stepped and timed his pass perfectly for Hiscocks to score the try of the match on 22 minutes. Robson converted well, whilst it was his terrific penalty strike from 43 metres that further extended the Pirates lead before the break to 15-7.

Play had been quite evenly contested, and a little feisty at times, but the Pirates held the score advantage, helped that they at times had defended with real determination.

The Knights started the second half well and on 55 minutes were back in it with an unconverted try scored at the old scoreboard corner by lock forward Morgan Jones, a former Scarlets and Wales Under 20s player.

The Yorkshire side lost the services of Bennett to the sin-bin on the hour for what appeared a cumbersome tackle on Agbongbon, but the Pirates were unable to add to their tally despite plenty of encouragement from the home supporters.

Welshmen in hooker George Roberts and flanker and skipper Ben Murphy, were two of several industrious personnel in Doncaster’s ranks, who were also able to call upon the services of replacement prop Logovi’i Mulipola, capped over 30 times for Samoa.

As the clock ticked down, a successful Bennett penalty kick from 40 metres out levelled matters on 77 minutes, and he also had a chance to win it soon after with a penalty attempt from just inside his own half which was missed.

CORNISH PIRATES: Iwan Price-Thomas, Arthur Relton, Chester Ribbons, Harry Yates, Ben Cambriani, Arwel Robson, Dan Hiscocks (capt); Billy Young, Morgan Nelson, Alfie Petch, Alfie Bell, Josh King, Rory Suttor, Jack Forsythe, Tomiwa Agbongbon. Replacements: Sol Moody, James French, Milo Hallam, Luke Ratcliff (used); Alessandro Heaney, Will Rigelsford, Louie Sinclair, Matty Ward (not used).

Tries: Price-Thomas, Hiscocks; Convs: Robson; Pens: Robson.