Cornish Pirates: Squad availability 'no excuse' for 50-12 defeat by Ealing Trailfinders

Cornish Pirates defeat by Ealing was their ninth loss this season with the team sixth in the Championship table

Cornish Pirates coach Gavin Cattle says their squad availability is no excuse for their 50-12 loss to Championship leaders Ealing Trailfinders.

The Pirates had 12 players missing but kept pace with Ealing thanks to tries from Robin Wedlake and Arthur Relton.

Rory Parata and Harvey Beaton were sent to the bin on the verge of half-time with Ealing running in a total of eight tries to sweep home to victory.

"We've got a small squad that tests your resources," Cattle said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall, he continued: "There's no excuses, the squad is our squad and you have to ride the wave with that. Sometimes you get a bit of luck with it, sometimes you don't.

"We've gone through a bit of a rough patch but so does every other team in the Championship.

"But that gives other boys opportunities and that's where we're at."

Wedlake's 13th-minute score and Relton's try almost on the half-hour mark pulled Cattle's side to 19-12, but the two yellow cards proved the tipping point as Ealing then rallied.

Skipper Parata first saw yellow following an accumulation of penalties with Beaton following soon after and Cian Kelleher used Ealing's two-player advantage just moments later as he crossed for their bonus point try on the verge of half-time.

Despite the defeat, Cattle is positive about his side's performance against the league's form side.

"Ultimately when you come up against a team that are geared to play Premiership rugby, won the competition last year, and with an average age of 22 in our pack, I thought stuck in, showed a lot of grunt and character," he continued.

"Ben Grubb on his debut stood up really well and he's only going to get better. We've got boys with a lot of growth."