Port Macquarie Pirates made it two-straight wins to start the Upper Mid North Coast Rugby Union season with a gritty 32-17 win over Kempsey on May 1.

But coach Marc Minor was left to count the cost of the win after the hosts suffered a number of long-term injuries headlined by a possible broken foot to Jack Maunder.

Adding to the casualty ward, centres Riley Davidson and Elia Glassie headed to hospital for x-rays on shoulder and a thumb injuries.

Pirates led 15-5 at half-time before they finished the match with the bare bones.

"You've got to have the grit sometimes and we showed that today," Minor said.

"We won ugly."

Minor admitted the Cannonballs were traditionally a difficult opponent and that was again the case at Stuart Park although the Pirates led from start to finish.

"They defended well, we were still clunky and have a lot of work to do," he said.

"We're going to have a number of injury concerns going into next week."

Loose-head prop Tavita Talamaivao led from the front in the closing stages as Pirates started to tire.

"He is starting to really shine into his work at loose-head prop," Minor said.

"He had some big runs today, some big defence and in the last 10 minutes he really stood up and went to another level which helped lift the team.

"Across the board everybody put in."

The coach was also impressed with the efforts of wingers Hugh Parsons and Duncan Ballantine.

"Our two wingers work non-stop and do a power of work," he said.

"Part and parcel of getting your go-forward is when you have guys coming off the wing and making breaks through the centre."

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