LONDON Irish maintained their 100% start to the Greene King IPA Championship with a 35-24 bonus-point victory away to Cornish Pirates.

The Exiles have now won all nine of their league matches and Saturday's success put them seven points clear of second-placed Yorkshire Carnegie at the top of the table.

Nick Kennedy's promotion-chasers have also scored more points (319) and conceded fewer (119) than any other side in the division and are well on course to regain their top-flight status next season.

They came though a thorough test in Cornwall on Saturday, and still managed to run in five tries with Ben Franks and Ben Ransom scoring a brace apiece and Max Northcote-Green adding another.

Grieg Tonks booted Irish ahead with an early penalty, then Ransom grabbed the opening try when he collected James Marshall's cross-field kick before dotting down.

Tonks failed to convert from the touchline, butt he visitors led 8-0 midway through the first half.

Pirates hit back immediately with Alex Day going over for a converted score then a Will Cargill penalty put the hosts 10-8 up.

But the lead didn't last long as Tonks replied with his own three-pointer following an infringement at the ruck.

Irish then turned the screw and a series of penalties that saw Rob Elloway sin-binned for a professional foul ended with Franks barging his way over for his side's second try. Tonks missed the extras, but the visitors led 16-10 at the interval.

Exiles pulled further away after the restart when former All Blacks prop Franks crashed over again.

That was soon followed by a Northcote-Green touchdown, the in-form flanker finishing off a sweeping attacking move to cross in the corner for the bonus point.

Irish's fifth try followed on the hour mark when Ransom sped clear of the Pirates defence from the half-way line to cross under the posts following good work from Marshall and centre Fergus Mulchrone.

That put Irish 35-10 up with 15 minutes to go, but Pirates refused to lie down and responded with two Sam Simmonds to pull it back to 35-24.

However, their failed to snatch a bonus point as Irish secured the victory at Mennaye Field despite losing Harry Elrington to the sin bin.

Irish return to Madejski Stadium this Sunday when they host Jersey Reds (2pm ko).

London Irish: Tonks, Ojo (Williams 38), Fowlie, Mulchrone, Ransom, Marshall, Steele (McKibbin 59), Court (Elrington 55), Paice (Ellis 75), Franks (c) (Hoskins 62), Lloyd (Sexton 58), De Chaves, Coman, Northcote-Green, Treviranus (Nayalo 59).