PENZANCE & NEWLYN 31, SEDGLEY PARK 26: RFU National Division One: ONE point was the margin of victory when these two sides met at Park Lane, this time down in Cornwall it was one converted try - unfortunately for the Tigers it went the Pirates' way.

Yet defeat still brought two bonus points, although it was scant reward as victory was always within Sedgley's grasp.

They had the best of starts, grabbing the lead inside a minute. A cross-field kick was gathered by centre Jim Naylor, who in turn fed winger Richard Welding and he raced into the corner for an unconverted try.

The Pirates were level six minutes later when flanker Iva Motusaga barged his way over for the touchdown. Stand-off Tom Barlow added the conversion and the home side led 7-5.

The Pirates stepped up the tempo and from a tap-penalty Barlow and Motusaga, combined to send wing Gerald Arasa in at the corner. With Barlow again successful with the boot, the Pirates stretched their lead to 14-5.

Play then swung to and fro before Sedgley hit back.

Fullback Arno De Jager crashed through the home defence to grab his side's second try and give Feeney the easiest of conversions to narrow the gap to 14-12.

Back down the other end Pirates won a lineout and scrum-half Gavin Cattle breezed through a bemused looking Sedgley defence to go over. Barlow's kick then made it 19-12 to the home side at half-time.

The Tigers started the second half with the wind at their backs, and from a deft kick they scored.

Feeney hoisted the ball from centre field out to the left touchline where skipper Jimmy Ponton leapt high to palm it into the waiting Welding's grateful arms.

Tearing past his marker he raced down the wing and in under the posts for his second try of the afternoon. Feeney's conversion levelled the scores at 19-19.

Despite some solid defending the Tigers then conceded another try on 50 minutes.

Pirates' centre Duncan Murray, sliced through the Sedgley backline to go in under the posts, giving Barlow's replacement, Lee Jarvis, an easy conversion to restore the home side to a 26-19 lead.

But the Pirates' defence continued to look fragile and Sedgley claimed a fourth try a minute later, and a bonus point, when Naylor stormed in under the posts, Feeney's conversion squared the game once more at 26-26.

Another great Naylor run looked like yielding a fifth try, but instead of releasing winger Jon Feeley he decided to kick ahead and the momentum was lost.

With seven minutes left referee Alan Biggs raised his arm to indicate a penalty to Penzance but allowed the Pirates to play the advantage and flanker Joe Bearman bullocked over in the right-hand corner. Although Jarvis missed the conversion the Pirates led 31-26.

Two minutes from time a 35-metre Feeney penalty clawed the Tigers to within three points. But in the final minute Pirates' wing Matt Jess scored in the right-hand corner.

Jarvis's missed kick meant the game finished 36-29 to the Cornishmen who emerged with five points; but at least Sedgley made the long trip back north with two.

SEDGLEY: De Jager, Feeley, Naylor, Voortman, Welding, Feeney, Wilkinson, Du Plessis, Keys, Thomas, Fourie, Lund, Senior, Ponton, Skurr. Replacements: Oxley (for Keys, 72), Collie (for Thomas, 50 - blood substitution), Lourens, Hall, McCormack (for Wilkinson, 70), Hassan (for Naylor, 77), Holtzhausen (for Senior, 73).