Cornish Pirates 70 Esher 10

Esher's first visit to the new temporary home of Cornish Pirates - or as we knew Penzance - was not a great sight for the travelling Esher supporters.

The Pirates, who had run Exeter close last week, were intent on making life uncomfortable for the Esher side.

Playing with the wind, they took only three minutes to get on the scoreboard as their Samoan skipper Tim Cowley scored the first of ten converted tries.

On 12 minutes, their Welsh winger Rhodri Mcatee managed their second, converted by Irishman Gareth Steenson, the second of his eight conversions.

Esher swung into shape after 15 minutes when Dougie Flockhart scored the first of his brace for the game, Dave Slemen's conversion going just wide.

Three further first half tries by the rampaging Pirates gave them a 35-5 lead at the turn round.

Esher now had the wind and started the second period brightly, pegging the Pirates back in their 22.

A series of lineouts and drives saw Pirates using all their nouse as they infringed to give Esher only a series of penalties, preventing almost certain tries.

From the third successive lineout, the Pirates stole the ball scampered away and scored.

Each time the Pirates turned the ball over from Esher, they scored and this was how clinical Esher must be in future games this season and, hopefully, next season in this division.

Esher's crowning moment came on 57 minutes when a Pirates attack was thwarted and Matt Moore stole the ball, ran it out of his 22 and passed on to Flockhart, who dazzled and danced his way to score the best try of the game.

Two further Pirate tries - one a penalty try - summed up Esher's day, as they fell to their second 70-point thrashing of the season, the other being against next week's visitors Northampton Saints.

Some of the Esher players were simply outclassed by their opposite number, a matter that needs to be addressed for next season.

One piece of good news is that skipper Duncan Cormack came through the game unscathed following his 10-week lay-off.

After the visit of Northampton on Saturday (3pm), Esher travel to Exeter on February 23 for their EDF National Trophy quarter-final tie.

Following those two exciting prospects, Esher play Coventry and Newbury.

Esher: Cormack - Campbell (Goldsmith) - Alexander (Smith) - Harris (Butterworth) - Blakeburn - Soden - Yellowlees (Starling) - Barrell - Lane (Barr) - Slemen - Briggs (Hewitt) - Clouston (Baumberg) - Moore - Hallett.Tries: Flockhart 2