CROSS Keys’ British and Irish Cup campaign is all but over after the Cornish Pirates avenged their 2012 semi-final defeat with a bonus point victory.

The home side, which contained a sizeable contingent of young Newport Gwent Dragons, battled valiantly and led 14-13 after 53 minutes.

It was at this point that they lost their momentum when their playmaker outside half Angus O’Brien was stretchered off with a hip injury.

The game was held up for ten minutes, after which the visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck and never looked back, using their physicality to take the game away from the hosts.

A fairly even first half had seen the visitors just shade things, the Cornishmen going into the interval with a slender 13-11 lead.

Keys’ highly promising fly half O’Brien got the Pandy Park outfit off to a great start with a fourth minute penalty before it was soon cancelled out by his opposite number Kieran Hallett.

A long range shot at goal by the hosts’ No 10 put their noses back in front in the 21st minute before Hallett again clawed things back with his second penalty to make it 6-6.

Keys were under pressure in the scrum but they mounted a fine attack, with blindside Ollie Griffiths prominent, before centre Barney Nightingale crossed for an excellent unconverted try.

The Gwent side gave a needless penalty away five minutes before half-time which the Pirates immediately capitalised on.

They went for field position and crossed for a converted try from a driving lineout, loosehead prop Paul Andrews coming up smiling with the ball from scattered bodies.

Keys started the second half well and began to hit back in the scrum.

They retook the lead after 42 minutes when the cool O’Brien slotted over his third penalty to make it 14-13.

He had a further two chances to extend their advantage but missed with both as Keys began to boss the game.

O’Brien’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time and the Pirates were ahead once again when they scored a cracking unconverted try, courtesy of blindside flanker Joel Conlon.

Things got worse for Keys when openside flanker Scott Matthews was yellow carded after he was penalised, the sin bin decision coming for his side’s persistent infringing.

Again the Pirates didn’t waste time in pressing their advantage home, their beefy forwards going over from close range, replacement prop Jack Andrew and hooker Rob Elloway bagging tries.

Cross Keys: James Cordy-Redden, Ashton Hewitt, Barney Nightingale, Polu Uhi, Nathan Trowbridge (Nathan Williams 75), Angus O’Brien (James Leadbeater 53), Luc Jones, Owen Evans (Luke Garrett 72), Hugh Gustafson ( Darren Hughes 61), David Young (Alex Jefferies 61), Joe Davies (Simon Williams 58), Matthew Screech, Ollie Griffiths, Scott Matthews (capt), Adam Powell.

Replacements: Josh Skinner,

Cross Keys scorers: Tries – Barney Nightingale (25), Penalty (78), Conversion – Luc Jones (78), Penalties – O’Brien (4), (21), (42)

Cornish Pirates: Max Bodilly, Luke Jones (Laurence May 71), Alex Dancer, Rheon James (Tom Hendrickson 69), Craig Holland, Kieran Hallett, Stuart Townsend (Gavin Cattle 58), Paul Andrews (Jamal Ford-Robinson 40), Rob Elloway (Dean Broker 71), Alan Paver (Jack Andrew 61), Will Carrick Smith, Darren Barry (capt), Joel Conlon, Joe Atkinson, Matt Bolwell (Chris Morgan 61)

Cornish Pirates scorers: Tries – Paul Andrews (35), Joel Conlon (55), Jack Andrew (67), Rob Elloway (70), Conversions – Kieran Hallett (35), (67), Penalties – Hallett (11), (23)

Referee: Sean Gallagher (IRFU)