London Cornish markedly improved upon their recent league win against Portsmouth at the same venue, by increasing the gap between the 2 sides from 30 to 62 points to move into the last 32 of the Intermediate Cup. Though a near full strength exiles will have been satisfied with their days work, their visitors will also have been pleased to give gametime to important players returning from spells on the sidelines, with key battles in the league to follow.

Cornish played towards the clubhouse in the opening period, and it was quickly apparent that the exiles pack had massive superiority over their visitors in the tight, stealing ball against the head from the off seemingly at will. The home side took the lead in the 6th minute with a Luke Spells penalty for offside in midfield, and rarely looked troubled from that point on. When Portsmouth were able to gain good territory, they found that Cornish locks Ben Ievers and Ben Devonport were impassable at lineout time, and Chris Anstey a persistent nuisance on the floor too. The first try was landed on 8 minutes when a Mark Osei-Tutu break took play into the 22, and when Rich Skinnard stepped inside to be downed 5 out, scrum half Rob Healey sniped his way over for an unconverted try. Healey was at the centre of the action again on 21 minutes, him taking a quick tap at a penalty before fly half Phil Dale hit Spells on an inside line to crash over to the left of the posts, the same player converting his own score to take the lead out to 15-0. On 34, Healey returned a kick with interest for Dale to this time hit Devonport on his shoulder, the lock bursting clear to slide over under the posts, Spells conversion a formality. Any positive thoughts Portsmouth had about their day were blown away on 36 when Dale charged down a clearance on the 22 for the ball to roll invitingly over the try line for the fly half to pounce, the score 27-0 at the break.

The hosts withdrew Healey, prop Mike Bond and full back Nigel Johnston at the half, on coming Sam Williams, Tom Woods and Craig Chatley. It didn't take long for all 3 to have an impact, Ievers stealing a lineout in the visiting 22, and Williams finding Ievers around the corner to plunge across the line for a try converted by Spells. 4 minutes later, a Cornish 22 was caught on the run by Chatley, him simply having too many wheels for the cover, cantering over wide left for Spells to add the extras to take the lead out to 41-0. The tide was stemmed for a period now as the home side lost a man to the bin for killing the ball at a ruck, but another Will Carew-Gibbs heal against the head on 59, saw the ball recycled to Dale after Woods had smashed up to 5 out, the fly half weaving a path across the line to round the posts to make Spells kick again a formality. With the exiles backs now in full flow, Chatley and Spells broke from their 22 on 69, and an inside ball to open side Ciaran Acford on 69 seeing the former wing dash clear straight up the centre of the pitch to score to the right of the posts, Spells kick taking the score out to 55-0. This act brought on Jamie McDonald for his first game of the season at lock, in place of man of the match Devonport. With continued dominance in the tight thanks to Skip Dave Theobald and hooker Carew-Gibbs, Cornish snaffled a scrum against the head again in the closing minutes, the ball worked to Chatley to slip some tired tackles and score to the right of the posts, Spells extras bringing the curtain down on a 62-0 win.

The Cup can be an irritant to a struggling side, but Portsmouth had won at Aylesford in the previous round and will count themselves unlucky to have been given a second long trip in 2 rounds, and this one on an International weekend. They always front up, are a decent bunch off the park and we wish them well back in league action. Cornish park the cup until the New Year, though will hope the draw gives them a new opponent against whom to measure their progress. There are plenty of tough matches between then and now however, so the focus will need to quickly return to the league!