London Cornish will rue a series of missed chances to win this top of the table clash at Guernsey’s Footes Lane HQ, the visitors going down by a goal and three penalties to a goal and two penalties in an enthralling and high calibre match. The result sees the exiles slip back down to 4th, them having lost 4 matches in London 2 South-West, though three of these have been by 3 points or less and two of those have been away to the top 2 in the league.
Cornish had chosen to fly out to the Channel Islands on the morning of the match, and arrived in good time on a beautiful, still morning. The Sarnians boast the best facilities in the league, their huge stand quickly filling with a very large crowd and the pitch with longer grass than normal in great nick. Hamish Cuming, Simon Brading, Alex Crimmens and Rich McKeown all returned from injury, as Cornish continue to reduce their huge injury list, and there was a debut for Graeme Smeaton, the former Heriots FP centre. On the bench Miran Serdarevic was recalled after an absence of 15 months with an injury, him having spent the early part of the season in the 2s. Two huge packs and talented back lines set fair to do battle in perfect conditions in front of an expectant crowd, the best attack in the league set against the best defence – battle was truly joined!
With the wind at their backs playing towards the clubhouse end, Guernsey kicked deep from the off, but in Nick Harlock the exiles have a player in great form, him returning the kick back into Gs territory and then the home full back knocking on Conor O’Daly’s flighted return. For the opening 5 minutes it was the visitors who held sway, working left and right probing for openings as thundering tackles were met by equally powerful clearing. On 6 minutes Cornish attacked on halfway, Smeaton putting Crimmens in space wide right. As he drew the final man, he was shoulder charged as he passed, the ball flying into touch but the penalty awarded. Though wide out, a decent effort across the wind flew just wide right of the posts. Within 2 minutes, the exiles deservedly had the lead, hooker George Johnson barreling his way through tackles to just outside the Gs 22, a home forward pinged for not rolling away. O’Daly stepped up and drove a low kick into the wind and through the posts. The response from the league leaders was instant, their powerful scrum exerting pressure and winning a penalty in a kickable position centre-left in Cornish territory. Their kicker stepped up and saw his kick fly across the face of the posts. On 11 minutes Cornish fashioned a carbon copy of the earlier move, Crimmens again hitting a great line in the 13 channel to burst into the home half at pace. This time he drew his man and got his pass away, but the pass was not strong enough to reach his man in the clear and the chance went frustratingly begging. On 15 minutes and after a period of possession, the Sarnians kicked a penalty to the right corner. They set a rolling maul in motion, a tactic few sides have success with against Cornish. It was halted at first, but they cunningly reset and caught the visitors short down the narrow side, able to crash over in a pile of bodies, the referee well placed to award the score. The home kicker struck a difficult kick well and his side were out to a 7-3 lead. Back came Cornish, McKeown twisting out of a tackle only to be dump tackled just outside the Guernsey 22. O’Daly again drove his kick between the sticks, the lead reduced to 1 with 18 minutes gone. The seesaw nature of the match swung back to the home side, them again kicking to the same corner to try and repeat their earlier feet. This time however, the lineout was overthrown, snaffled by the exiles back-rower Charlie Wapshott, and driven clear. On 23 minutes Smeaton hit a great line to burst through the home defensive line into the clear. He was tackled by the home 15 who then killed the ball and was binned for his offence, the penalty awarded outside the 22 but in a central position. The cross field wind had made kicking difficult for both kickers, and here again the attempt drifted wide to the left of the posts. Now Cornish had an extra man, but Guernsey are not top for nothing the kept their visitors at bay for all of the ten minute period, much of which was played out in midfield with both defences holding strong. Ironically, it was only when their oppo was restored to full numbers that Cornish broke through again, scrum half Dave Madigan sending O’Daly into space where he had Harlock arriving at pace and in the clear. Yet again the pass was not accurate and the opportunity went with it. This period saw Cornish camped inside the home 22, and as Cornish worked the ball right to left across the posts, they again had an overlap but this time the home 13 gambled on the intercept and was only just unable to gather it in. It was a gamble worth taking as the exiles has two players in the clear outside of him. Cornish were pinged at the scrum and the home side worked their way into the visitors half. This time it was Guernsey who were left frustrated when they broke the defensive stranglehold only to see their final pass knocked on. The referee was playing advantage for an offence in midfield however, so their kicker was able to exact some kind of retribution by nailing his kick, the score the last action of the half with the Sarnians 10-6 to the good at the break and Cornish ruing not making more of the various try scoring chances they had made.
Now with the wind at their backs, the visitors were confident they could turn the game round in the second period. They made an early change, tight head James Turnbull injured and replaced by 1s Skipper Dave Theobald, gradually working his way back to fitness after his enforced 6 week injury lay off. Within a minute an indiscretion at a scrum cost the visitors, it being central and within kicking range. The Guernsey kicker added the 3 points and the lead was now out to 13-6. A physical game was now becoming fractious as both sides flew into tackles and the breakdown became a no-go zone for the feint hearted. The referee now needed to take some action, and he soon did, consigning one of the exiles front row to the bin for a stamping offence. Since Cornish had already used their front row replacement with a neck injury, the referee ruled uncontested scrums for the period of the binning, at which point an argument broke out with the home player-coach, who was insistent that Cornish should lose another player in order to form a scrum. Whether he meant the sin binned player should return to form this scrum is unclear, since that would have been the only option that would have resulted in contested scrums. This altercation seemed to distract the home side, for it was their visitors who now took the initiative, lead by strong performances by Brading and McEwen. Wapshott was withdrawn for Serdarevic to return, Guernsey also making a double change to freshen up their side. On 67 minutes and with Cornish still down a man, they won a penalty down the right flank for an offence at a ruck. Brading elected for a kick to the corner. Reigning supreme at lineout time, Pete Calvert won the ball and set a rolling maul in motion. It was repelled but the ball was spun to Calvert arriving at pace and at the angle 5 metres out. He crashed through tackles and over the line for a richly deserved try, converted by O’Daly for the scores to be leveled at 13-13 and the crowd completely silenced. With their man restored to the pitch, the momentum was now with the visitors, and they tore into the Sarnians, but perhaps without the necessary control. This was demonstrated in a couple of tap penalties taken hurriedly and quickly squandered as a result. On 73 minutes a kicking duel developed, which was ended when the Guernsey full back was body checked as he chased a punt. The kick had landed deep in Cornish territory and was therefore very kickable. The home kicker has an odd style, but it works for him and here he nailed the kick to a huge roar from the home support as their side had now regained the lead at 16-13. Both sides knew the game was in the balance in the remaining minutes, and it was the exiles who finished the stronger. On 78 minutes a fine move saw McKeown and Smeaton burst through the midfield. The ball was worked through Cuming to Harlock who drew his man and passed to Burns, flying up on his outside and in space with the line clear ahead. However, the referee ruled the pass forward much to the relief of the home side. Still penned in their own half, Guernsey conceded another tap penalty at the scrum, but their defence held strong as Cornish forced the game and the ball was knocked on. Now with time up, the scrum saw the home side win the ball and gleefully thump it sidewards into touch, the final whistle the scene of some jubilation as Guernsey count Cornish as their bogey side, and they would have been mightily relieved to escape with the win considering the chances their visitors had squandered.
Guernsey are under some pressure to gain promotion as they risk losing complete touch with their Siam Cup neighbours on Jersey if they don’t. They are a big, powerful side and have now gained a cushion on the chasing pack so are well placed to achieve their aim. They are particularly tough to beat on their own turf, and certainly know how to entertain – The Swan; thanks lads!
For Cornish the remainder of the season will need to be near perfect for the side to stay in contention, and those return matches will be vital. Guernsey will testify that on this form the exiles are unlikely to go away quietly.

LCRFC – Nick Harlock, Tom Burns, Graeme Smeaton, Rich McKeown, Iain Short, Conor O’Daly, Dave Madigan, Andrew McEwen, Simon Brading, Charlie Wapshott (Miran Serdarevic), Alex Crimmens, Pete Calvert, James Turnbull (Dave Theobald), George Johnson, Hamish Rep not used - Mike Allewell