At half time in this match, you would have been forgiven for thinking that London Cornish were the London 2 South-West league leaders and Guernsey mid table, such was the domination the home side had enjoyed in romping to a 16-0 lead, that could well have been far greater with a little more composure. However, Champion sides win from all kinds of positions, and the Sarnians produced a huge second 40 to wrest control of the match from the exiles and deservedly win going away, the win achieved by 3 goals and a try to 1 goal and 3 penalties.

The recent weeks have not been kind to the exiles squad, and on this day as well as the long term injured lock Rob Aird, hooker Will Carew-Gibbs and centre Ian Keith, Cornish were also without prop Mike Bond, bizarrely injured during the week hanging out the washing (I kid you not!). To add to this the home side were also without two noteable absentees in lock Pete Calvert and wing Robin Heymann, who were both unavailable. These absences saw recalls for Hamish Cuming at prop and Phil Ridsdale at lock, neither of whom have much rugby under their belts in 2011. Simon Brading moved to 12 and Dave Madigan returned at scrum half, having been unavailable the previous week, allowing Nick Harlock to switch to full back and Tom Dorse to the wing. With both sides having demonstrated indifferent form in recent weeks, the game was a tough one to call, though Cornish have not won 2 league matches in succession since the first games of the season so would have to buck that trend to win this one.

For the first time in many weeks, sunshine lit up the REMPF, the pitch in fine condition and a decent crowd in attendance, swelled by an exiles VP lunch and by BBC Radio Cornwall, who sent a reporter to cover the match on this St Piran’s Day. Cornish played towards the clubhouse in the opening half, and were on the board on 5 minutes when fly half Rich McKeown struck a penalty between the uprights from just outside the 22 after a Guernsey player was pinged for holding. Cornish were quickly back on the attack and McKeown linked with Brading on 9 minutes, his cut out pass putting Dorse in space down the left flank. He stepped the full back but was floored inside the 22 by a decent covering tackle, but the Sarnians were caught offside in midfield as the home side worked the ball left to right across their 22, the penalty a formality for McKeown and the lead doubled to 6-0. On 13 minutes Cornish won a penalty after the referee spotted a stamp on Brading during another home attack, this penalty also converted but Brading requiring lengthy treatment on his leg. 17 gone and with the home side rampant, McKeown arrowed a kick onto the Guernsey 22, and their winger was scragged by Tom Burns and bundled into touch. Brading now split his ear and was replaced for a blood bin by Conor O’Daly at 13, Graeme Smeaton moving to 12. The lineout was won by Ed Nimmons and the rolling maul worked into the 22 and infield. Madigan hit McKeown, who in turn hit no 8 Andrew McEwen, who burst the first tackle and drove to within 5 yards of the line before flipping the ball up to Mark Osei-Tutu to crash across the line to the right of the posts for the try. McKeown added the extras and most watching were rubbing their eyes at an unblemished, error free start by the exiles. Better was almost to follow, following fine work on the floor by hooker George Johnson, Dorse again involved as he linked with Smeaton to smash into the Guernsey 22. Another penalty was won smack in front of the posts for offside at the ruck, but an overexcited Cornish forward took a quick tap and the chance was quickly gone when the ball was turned over, the point blank penalty opportunity squandered. It took exactly 27 minutes before Guernsey even made it into the Cornish 22 in the match, the blood bin now reversed. Guernsey won a penalty and kicked into the 22 before setting a rolling maul and then a few phases of play. They worked a clear overlap wide left but their wing knocked the ball on with the line at his mercy for the ball to be cleared at the scrum, Cuming, Johnson and skipper Dave Theobald rock solid when it mattered in the engine room. This was clear warning to the home side that the league leaders were gradually warming to their task, and now they grew into the game in possession terms too, but unforced errors hampered them as open side Charlie Wapshott consistently harassed their ball carriers. On 33 minutes a well worked backs move saw blind side wing Burns hit a great line at pace off McKeown to break clean through the visiting defence. He drew his man and spun the ball to Harlock arriving on his outside, the full back arrowing towards the corner before looping an inside ball to a supporting Cornishmen only to see it agonisingly knocked on with the line at his mercy. On 38 minutes, and with an ambulance already in attendance for a injury to a Wimbledon 2s player on the adjoining pitch, the Guernsey player/coach went down in agony after he was hit at the back of a ruck. He had broken his ankle badly in the corresponding fixture last year and it appeared to be a similar injury, though we hope it is not so serious as he did not seem to need the ambulance. He was immediately replaced, the Sarnians fortunate to have another talented 9 on their bench. Within a minute it was apparent that Brading too could not shake off the effects of the stamp, a huge welt appearing behind his knee where the studs had done their damage. His prowess and leadership were to be sorely missed as the exiles possess few players of his like. The half time whistle must have been warmly welcomed by the visitors, coming as it did with them 16-0 down.

Right from the off in the second period, Guernsey changed their tactics. Now they used a series of runners close to rucks and mauls to attack one out from the exiles equally lumpy pack. At first they were turned over as Wapshott again proved a thorn in their side, but they won the ball back and countered on 42 minutes, a long kick through finding only Cuming in place to chase back. The loosehead did extremely well too, bouncing off a tackler before offloading to Harlock to clear, but the alarm bells were already sounding in home ranks. A minute later and Guernsey worked room down the left flank for their left wing to make up for his earlier knock on and cut inside two tackles to score by the posts, the conversion giving the visitors just the lift they needed at the start of the second half. On 47 minutes, and with their powerful runners beginning to make real yardage, the Sarnians won a kickable penalty only to see their kicker push his kick wide of the left upright. On 51 minutes, and with the Cornish lineout just beginning to misfire, Guernsey were back inside the home 22 trying to roll a maul over the home line. Few sides manage this successfully against the exiles however, and when they were repelled Johnson won a penalty for holding for lines to be cleared. It did not take them long to be back however, 54 on the clock when a tremendous series of controlled phases blasted holes in the exiles d before their lock picked up and crashed through a tackle to score to the left of the posts, the extras again made to reduce the deficit to 2. Now Cornish countered, Madigan arcing a run to link with Dorse down the blind side, but a bone crunching tackle halted the attack and a penalty went against the home side for holding. Whether the home side tired or Guernsey moved up 3 gears or both is a moot point, but what was certain is that the league leaders were hugely encouraged by their hosts suddenly falling off an alarming number of tackles. This was never more apparent than the try Guernsey scored on 63 minutes to take the lead for the first time, their 12 cutting back to break through a series of half-hearted and weak tackles to score by the posts, the conversion attempt a poor one in the conditions. On 68 minutes only a Harlock covering tackle saved his side, he and Wapshott repeatedly putting their bodies on the line in their teams cause. On 69 Guernsey won a penalty some way out for a deliberate knock on, but this attempt fell short before rolling dead. No matter, for 5 minutes later another desperately poor series of tackles simply shepherded the Sarnian 10 in under the posts for the bonus point try, the league leaders the only side so far this season to get the try bonus against Cornish at home. The conversion was made and the lead out to an unassailable 26-16. Cornish made 2 late changes, Rich Fisher on for an exhausted Cuming, who could be pleased with his comeback, and Laurie Bridgett on for Dorse. With the final whistle beckoning, Guernsey looked to have scored again, but their man knocked on in the act of scoring, this the final act of the match.

Before summing up, a word on the ref, who was consistent, up with play and authoritative in equal measure. This was an 18 year old lad on exchange from Devon and you should note his name for he will not be staying at Level 7 long on this performance – Kris Connabeer; you heard it here first!

Guernsey were rightly ecstatic with their win, their first at the REMPF since these sides first met 4 years ago. Where Guildford look after the ball better than any side, Guernsey are without doubt the leagues most powerful side, their barrage requiring greater levels of fitness than Cornish could muster on the day. It looks a 3 horse race for promotion and with the Sarnians remaining matches including games against the other two protagonists at their impressive Footes Lane HQ, it is now their title to lose. Cornish were desperately disappointing in the second period here, especially since they had demonstrated such an excellent brand of rugby in the opening one. The league table doesn’t lie by this stage of the season, and the top 3 have all done the double over the exiles. A handful of players short of mounting a sustained challenge at this level, Cornish still have the Cup to sustain their season and 3 league games in which to complete the season on a high.

LCRFC – Nick Harlock, Tom Dorse (Laurie Bridgett), Graeme Smeaton, Simon Brading (Conor O’Daly), Tom Burns, Rich McKeown, Dave Madigan, Andrew McEwen, Charlie Wapshott, Mark Osei-Tutu, Ed Nimmons, Phil Ridsdale, Dave Theobald, George Johnson, Hamish Cuming (Rich Fisher).