HAVING weathered the early storms of the Championship season, the Cornish Pirates are now ‘full steam ahead’ in their pursuit of a top-four finish.

A fifth win in six games has not only propelled them firmly back into the conversation amongst the league’s frontrunners but, more significantly, their 26-17 victory over visiting Hartpury at the Mennaye Field on Saturday underlined the strides they have made in this second half of the season.

Joint head coach Gavin Cattle acknowledged as much following the final whistle, saying: “We’ve had to fight, but I’m really pleased with the second half of the season, we’ve really gathered a bit of momentum. We had that run pre-Christmas where we won five on the bounce - and when we looked at the fixtures, especially those at home, we always thought if we were to win a large percentage of those, we would be in the mix.

“Right now, it feels like we’ve got something. Yes, we’re making some errors still and we’re mis-managing some things, but our set-piece is improving, our defence is decent because the energy is good, and we’re bringing the right levels of emotion to games. If you have that, you’ve always got a fighting chance of being in the game.

“Today, I thought the work-rate was there in bucket loads and at this stage of the season, when every team is creaking a bit, you just have to get on with it - and that’s exactly what we did.”

Despite a lively start from the Pirates, it was actually Hartpury who broke the deadlock on nine minutes, centre Robbie Smith picking a lovely line in midfield to brush off the attentions of Bruce Houston and outpace Matt McNab to the line for the game’s opening try, converted by Harry Bazalgette.

That lead last merely minutes, the Pirates levelling things up when McNab thundered his way over in the corner following some neat build-up play from the Cornishmen.

Worse followed for the visitors who then shipped two tries in quick succession. The first - a penalty try - saw flanker Sam Lewis sin-binned for pulling down a driving maul, before Will Trewin added a third, clutching a deft kick over from the top from Houston in his grasp, before powering over the line for the score, which Houston converted to give his side a 21-7 lead at the turn.

With work to do, Hartpury were much improved after the break. Bazalgette hauled them back into contention with a converted try not long after the restart, before then adding a penalty to cut the home lead to just four points.

But having got themselves back into the game, Hartpury’s charge was brought to a shuddering halt when the Pirates grabbed their bonus point score, Trewin's rampaging run down the left creating the opening for replacement Harry Yates to touchdown.

Although both sides toiled in the heat during the closing stages, neither really hit their rhythm as the game fizzled out with a bit of a whimper.

CORNISH PIRATES: Will Trewin; Robin Wedlake (Harry Yates, 57), Chester Ribbons, Joe Elderkin, Matt McNab (Will Riglesford, 79); Bruce Houston (Iwan Jenkins, 65), Dan Hiscocks; Billy Young, Matt Pritchard (Harry Hocking, 57, James French; Josh King, Charlie Rice; Matt Cannon (Fintan Coleman, 69), Jack Forsythe (Tomi Agbongbon, 70), Alex Everett (capt). Replacements (not used): Jenson Boughton, Ben Woodmansey.