Cornwall 6 Midlands Hurricanes 18

Cornwall ended their 2024 campaign at home with a narrow reverse against promotion chasing Midlands Hurricanes.

Although the Choughs were defeated, for context, when the two teams met earlier in the year at the Mem, Mike Abbott’s side were defeated 72-6, a record home reverse for the side.

However, revenge was exacted in the Second City in May when the Choughs were 24-22 winners and a tight affair was expected once more.

And so it proved, although Cornwall’s hopes were hampered by a hugely contentious refereeing call 15 minutes into second half.

Tom Wilkinson was bundled into touch and then grounded the ball out of bounds, with referee Sam Houghton signaling that Cornwall should restart. However, to the amazement of everyone in attendance which included Rugby Football League President Sir Lindsay Hoyle, touch judge Reece Schofield convinced the man in the middle that it was a try.

That four pointer put Midlands ahead and they never looked back, with Cornwall huffing and puffing for the remainder of the half, without ever threatening the Midlands line to any degree.

It was a different story in the opening stanza with Cornwall pressing ahead after 25 minutes when Adam Rusling’s short pass found Cameron Brown and the Australian full-back was over for his 14^th try of the season.

Brown kicked his only goal of the game to put Cornwall 6-0 up and Midlands, through a combination of strong home defence and taking the wrong option when the line beckoned, resulted in Mark Dunning’s side failure to trouble the scorers in the first half.

The tide did turn in the Hurricanes’ favour just before the break when Bailey Black, who has been key for Cornwall’s late season revival in recent weeks, which has seen the Choughs push Rochdale and Hunslet very close, was forced off with a nasty head injury.

Black never returned to the fray and this prompted a reshuffle for Mike Abbott’s side as Nathan Conroy moved the half-back and his fellow hooker Luke Collins was forced to play more minutes than expected.

After the turnaround, Midlands, after a sure dressing down from head coach Dunning, began proceedings with real purpose. It took them just seven minutes to score as Lewis Peachy dotted down and their outstanding half back Sully Medforth kicked the first of three successful goals.

All-square, the game was anyone’s, but Midlands got their noses in front when Wilkinson was somehow adjudged to have scored and despite Medforth missing with the extras, you got the feeling momentum had shifted to the visitors.

Even with 20 minutes left, Cornwall began to panic when in gaining good field position and this just played into Midlands’ hands, as they defended manfully and, at times, with ease.

The game was probably up for the Choughs 17 minutes from time with the try of the game which owed much to Medforth, who dabbed through to find the onrushing Todd Horner, who finished brilliantly under the posts.

Medforth knocked over the extra two points meaning Cornwall needed to score twice to win.

But Midlands’ respect for the Choughs – and perhaps the scoreboard too – was demonstrated as time ticked down when Coby Nichol was harshly penalized for stealing the ball and Medforth called for the tee to kick two more points.

Medforth then tried to stretch the lead even further with a field-goal attempt which went wide, but Midlands held on and their celebrations at full-time were testament to Cornwall’s endeavours.

Match Facts:

Cornwall: Brown, Nichol, Small, Ashton, Aaronson, Black, Rusling, Boots, Collins, Dimech, Weetman, Simpson, Bateman. Interchanges: (all used) Trerise, Gill, Lloyd, Conroy

Try: Brown (25)

Goals: Brown 1/1

Midlands: Chrimes, Bass, Johnson, Horner, Varo, Medforth, McLelland, Kirby, Barcoe, Bowring, Wilkinson, Willis, Clavering. Interchanges: (all used) Cullimore, Kenga, Peachy, Green.

Tries: Peachy (47), Wilkinson (56), Horner (63)

Goals: Medforth 3/4

Referee: Sam Houghton