Jersey off to winning ways at St Peter

Monday 14 September 2015

Championship rugby made a welcome return to St Peter on Saturday with Jersey edging Cornish Pirates 17-15 in a keenly fought and entertaining battle.

The Reds deserved the win - scoring three tries to the Pirates two - but the Cornishmen certainly made the home side work for their victory and it was a tense final 15 minutes, when the visitors pressured the Jersey line.

But the Reds - roared on by a 1,700-odd crowd, who appeared to relish the opportunity to bang the advertising boards once more - returned the pressure and were close to scoring when the final whistle blew.

Jersey had laid down their intentions early, with James Freeman scoring the first of his two tries in the fifth minute. His second, like the first from a powerful rolling maul, came in the 26th minute and the home side were 12-0 up after Brendan Cope had slotted one of the conversions.

But the Pirates battled back with Alex Cheeseman going over twice - the first in the 36th minute and the second, after Jersey had started sluggishly from the break, in the 43rd. 

But Jersey saved their best play of the game to the hour mark, when the backs darted through the Pirates' defence, with centre Fautua Otto popping up the ball for Lewis Robling to carry over. It was a belter of a try, only slightly tarnished by Cope missing the easy conversion.

The Pirates kept the pressure on with Kieran Hallett kicking over a long-range penalty in the 68th minute but the Reds absorbed the subsequent attacks and tasted their first victory of the season.

Next week Jersey, who are eighth in the Championship with four points, are away at Doncaster.