London Cornish exited the Intermediate Cup after extra time in a match they could and should have won, after East Sussex side Crowborough deservedly rode their luck to edge home by 19-16 at Steel Cross on Saturday. In a match played on a pitch that by the end resembled a ploughed field, both sides deserve credit for making the game any kind of spectacle, especially after the enforced extended break.
The exiles went into the match lacking holidaying Skip Dave Theobald at tight head, and last seasons top try scorer Rich Skinnard who damaged a shoulder skiing over the holiday period. Two front row returned from long term injury on the bench for their first outings since September in Hamish Cuming and Tim Homan. A strong squad assembled on a day the club proudly fielded nearly 90 players across the 4 sides. Cornish played into a very strong wind in the opening period, and despite falling 3-0 down to a long range penalty on 20 minutes, were very dominant for the opening 45 minutes. Hooker Will Carew-Gibbs (pictured) lead the response, breaking up the blind side in front of the balcony, until an offload saw lock Harry Somers win a penalty, which Cornish elected to kick to 15 out. Ben Ievers won the lineout, and as the visitors rolled the maul towards the home line, it was Carew-Gibbs who broke free, twisting over to score wide left, the conversion nigh on impossible into the wind but the visitors 5-3 ahead. Better was to follow, fly half Phil Dale fashioning a neat chip over the onrushing Crowborough centres being gathered by stand in Skip Luke Spells, and when the ball was recycled the fly half dummied his way through to send first Rob Healey and then Matt Hakes away and over for another try, this fine move also unconverted. It was very much against the run of play when a home miss move fell into the centres hands, and when he galloped away Cornish conceded a penalty as the cover defence snaffled him, which the home kicker lifted on the wind between the posts to narrow the deficit to 4. There was just time left for Carew-Gibbs to be carded for a deliberate knock down, but Cornish would have been well pleased to turn around ahead having not given their hosts a sniff of the tryline despite the wind at their backs in the opening period.

Great runs by Mark Osei-Tutu and Joe Skinnard lead to consecutive penalties being landed by Spells on 44 and 48 minutes, the home side now 16-6 down and still no where near the visitors tryline. However, with 2 lads now on in the front row who had not played for some time, and with the energy sapping ground taking its toll, Crowborough began to gain a real foothold in the match in the tight, and on 52 minutes a poor Cornish kick was returned with interest until the hosts won a scrum 5 out. With a decent nudge on, they carted the visitors back over their own line for a pushover try, not something Cornish concede very often and something returning Skip Theobald will be keen to ensure doesn’t happen again anytime soon! Now only 5 behind, the home side seemed to find belief and began to enjoy a steady stream of possession as the visitors lost the referee. Penned in their 22, Cornish defended manfully but on the occasions they did have the chance to clear, twice missed touch. In heavy conditions, kick chasing is very tough and actually presents the countering side with a decent chance to gain field position. Cornish brought on Ben Devonport and Craig Chatley for Jamie McDonald and Hakes, but the latter was not on for long before he was carded for a team offence 5 out. This time, with Carew-Gibbs and Oli Low back on and 15 on the clock, Cornish shunted their hosts off their own ball only to once more fail to find touch, and again the visitors were back in their 22. The error from both sides was growing, as was the Cornish tackle count, wing Robin Heymann twice making crucial tackles out wide. Just when it seemed they had weathered the storm, a cruel stroke of luck saw the home side level the scores when a clearing Cornish kick ricocheted off two players back over the try line, for the alert Crowborough left wing to gleefully pounce on ahead of the covering Ciaran Acford, a mere 5 minutes left on the clock. The conversion attempt went the way of all of the others in the match so far, and suddenly everyone present realised that extra-time was in the offing. They reckoned without more drama in the closing minute however, Somers impeded at a lineout and a penalty given 15 in from the left hand side just beyond the 10 metre line. The referee indicated that this was the last play, but though Spells struck the ball well, the strong wind dragged the ball over the left hand upright much to the home sides glee.

Whilst the 80 minutes to this point were full of drama, extra time was 20 minutes neither side really wanted. On 88 minutes, Crowborough won a penalty slightly to the right of the posts. Their kicker completely mishit it, but it wobbled on the wind, slammed into the far upright and bounced over to give his side a lead they would not relinquish again. The effect was that of a final slug between 2 heavyweights in the last round of a Rocky movie, so tired were both sets of players. Cornish simply couldn’t summon the energy or drive to mount a final challenge, and when the final whistle went, the result was a fair one given Crowborough’s domination of much of the second half and the early part of extra time.

The National Cups are all about matches such as these, throwing 2 clubs together who have never met before but who may well now play a pre season friendly on the back of this match. Played in fine spirit throughout, the blazers (and there are some beauties from both clubs!) mixed long after the match had finished to share war stories. We wish Crowborough good luck in the next round at Chiswick and thank them and their supporters for their well wishes (and these included applauding the Cornish players from the pitch post match.)

Cornish return to their no 1 goal in the weeks ahead, that of winning London 2 South-West. There may be 11 other clubs with agendas of their own who will aim to stop them, but for the exiles that focus has just intensified!

NB Another perspective and some fine photos of the match can be found on Crowborough's website at http://www.crowboroughrugby.co.uk/seniors/2/27/1st-xv.html