Cobham 19 CS Rugby 1863 26
CS knew that this away match against Cobham, who last season lost just once in the league at their impressive Fairmile Lane home ground, would be a very stern test. And so it proved; CS were therefore well pleased with their afternoons work leaving with a bonus point win and with a maximum ten points from their two matches, a place at the top of the league. CS had had to make two unscheduled starting changes from last week’s team who won at Dover; both backs with Liam Clery starting at 10 and Toby Guyett at 13, as well as Axel Wilhemsen on the bench. CS started the game well and initially had more than their fair share of territory and possession, however when Cobham had possession they looked far more threatening. Within the first ten minutes Cobham had three line outs, and on each occasion opted to throw to number four Joe Goddard, jumping at two in the line. The constant rain and wind throughout dictated that this was a very sensible strategy, and Goddard delivered confidently and in style taking all three cleanly, although it was only at the third line out that the referee declared that the throw was not straight. The resulting CS scrum was reset and was won by CS; both the early scrums and lines out ought to have indicated to CS the way that the game should be played but it was not until after the half time break that the tight game that the conditions warranted was successfully adopted.
Early on, too frequently CS kicked away possession, and on ten minutes CS attempted such a clearance kick. However Cobham quickly fed the ball to Jean-Louis Gravier the Cobham full back who sprinted off down the right and when he generated a two on one he timed his pass, to his equally quick right wing, to perfection who scored a well worked try, and with the addition of the conversion Cobham were 7 – 0 ahead. Shortly afterwards CS had two successive penalties and from a line out in the left corner CS’s forwards drove over impressively with Ben Davies getting the touch down, Tom Hodgson kicked the conversion to tie the scores. Something of a mirror image then occurred as Cobham then had three consecutive penalties of their own and likewise drove over in the left hand corner and converted the try to take a 14 – 7 lead. On the half hour mark Cobham again had two penalties resulting in a line out, again in the left corner and the writing was therefore on the wall for CS. CS spectators were, initially at least, relieved when Mike Smith was the first to grab the loose ball on the ground after a Cobham fumble, however the attempted clearance kick by the CS scrum half was charged down enabling Cobham to score and to take an impressive 19 – 7 lead. Shortly before the break CS full back Houstoun caught a kick ahead by Cobham and set off on a mazy run, he fed no 13 Toby Guyett who kept the move flowing, and following a chip ahead and collection of the ball CS quickly recycled the ball and scored in the left corner with Joe Heslop getting the touch down. Hodgson was unable to convert and the half time score was a not unsurmountable 19 – 12.
The half time message from CS coach Jacko must have been – keep it tight, and don’t give away needless penalties, and CS delivered winning the second half by 14 – 0 and the penalty count 4 - 2. Early on CS won a brace of penalties, following which the backs had a crack at scoring through a swift move that led to the right wing narrowly stepping into touch before dotting down. However from the resulting line out the CS pack wrestled the ball from Cobham which was fed quickly left enabling Hodgson to power over and score under the posts. He converted his own try, the score was level again being 19 -19 with a quarter of the match to go.
CS had a concerted period of effort at scoring the fourth try, which included a pass to left wing Zach Stamp who all thought had scored but was, surprisingly to some, given in touch, as well as a number of promising thrusts by the forwards. On 65 minutes Cobham were awarded a penalty which enabled them to clear their lines and relive the pressure that had been building. At this point, having failed to take the lead CS’s heads may have dropped, as they have done on some previous occasions. That they did not was a credit to the team spirit and the work that the coaches and management have generated. With normal time nearly over CS were awarded a penalty on half way, in the centre of the pitch – would they attempt the possible winning kick at goal or go for the attacking line out. They decided to go for the latter and the forwards won the ball and set up a fantastically efficient driving maul which rumbled twelve metres to the line to score, with Joe Heslop getting the touch down – his second of the match. It was now 19 – 26 with just four and a half minutes of injury time left during which CS defended all that Cobham could muster.
A very good victory therefore for CS Rugby whose next fixture is 17 September, their first home game of the season, to Chobham – kick off 15.00.