Cornish Pirates stay in play-off hunt with Coventry win

Cornish Pirates kept their Champ play-off hopes alive as they came back to beat third-placed Coventry 29-24 at the Mennaye.

The result means seventh-placed Pirates know a win at sixth-placed Hartpury next week could be enough to overcome the three-point gap between the sides and make the post-season.

The bonus-point win is their second in their last four games.

"It was all about the outcome today, it was about staying in the fight for the playoffs," joint-head coach Gavin Cattle told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"So we've taken it to the last game, so I suppose that's the good thing about the format, we've got something to play for next week."

Matt Cannon's sixth-minute try gave Pirates an early lead, but it was pegged back when David Opoku crossed for Coventry five minutes later.

But the hosts went into the interval 19-10 up as Saul Nelson went over in the 30th minute before Harry Yates got Pirates' third try six minutes later.

Coventry had the better of the second half as tries from Eliot Salt and Murray Davidson saw them go 24-19 ahead.

But Charlie Rice got what proved to be the winning try for Pirates with four minutes to go before Arwel Robson added a late penalty.

"I've got to say you talk about winning ugly, that was pretty ugly," added Cattle.

"Coventry had that sort of safety net that are in the playoffs, whereas we looked like we were fighting for our lives and were a bit tight on the ball.

"I think we most probably did play the right game plan, but we just weren't as sprightly as we normally are, we just looked a little bit tight under the pressure I think."