Joy for Pirates after seven-try win over Coventry

The seven-try win over Coventry was Cornish Pirates' biggest of the season

Cornish Pirates have "turned the corner", according to joint-head coach Gavin Cattle, after they thrashed Coventry 46-14.

Pirates are now on a three-game winning streak, having previously lost seven league and cup matches in a row, and are sixth in the Championship.

Previously unbeaten Coventry, who outlined their Premiership ambitions earlier this month, found themselves 24-0 down after 38 minutes as Pirates ran in four tries.

Charlie Rice scored Pirates' first after 16 minutes before Will Gibson and Matt McNab followed him over the line soon after.

McNab added his second to secure a bonus point before Will Hutler got one for Coventry just before half-time.

Exeter Chiefs loanee Martin Moloney scored Pirates' fifth try 15 minutes after the break and although Liam Richman pulled one back, there was still time for Cam Jones and Sol Moody to complete the seven-try rout.

"I think the performance has been building," Cattle told BBC Radio Cornwall.

"In all honesty that first half, although we were four tries up, we didn't play particularly well, I didn't think.

"But things have turned the corner, I think our maul functioned today, still got a bit of a battle at scrum going on.

"I just felt that our energy was good. We were physical, the intent was there."

Cornish Pirates players had faced uncertainty over the future before last week

The victory capped a good week off the pitch for the Pirates, with players being told that contract clauses allowing them to leave at the end of the month would be lifted.

The club had inserted the clauses as funding from benefactor Dicky Evans comes to an end.

But the club feel they are financially stable enough to go on with a fully-professional side until the end of the season

And Cattle says that while his side have had difficult moments already this season, he is convinced they were not as bad as some had made out - despite the seven-match losing run.

"We were one score from beating Ealing, one score from beating Bedford... so we haven't been a million miles away," he said.

"But that pressure can build over time and you can create a perception that sometimes isn't real because you're desperate for that win.

"So we just kept plugging away and we've still got some plugging away to do."