London Cornish provided ample evidence of their gathering form with a dominant win at the Hamsey Green HQ of Warlingham on Saturday, the win significant as this was the venue of one of the exiles 3 defeats in the league last season. The bonus points were landed by virtue of 2 goals, 3 tries and 2 penalties to a penalty for the hosts, the margin of victory the largest landed away from home in the division in the 3 rounds to date.

This match saw the return for the first time this season of 3 more regulars from last season in Mike Bond at loosehead, Rob Healey at 9 and Craig Chatley at centre, the result of which saw more fluency gradually returning to elements of the Cornish game. Debuts were given to Tom Ievers at 7 and Tom Hupfield off the bench, the latter having plied his trade with Barnes in National 3 last season. With pre match mist lifting in time for the kick off, an increasingly warm day saw the visitors open playing up the slope and they were quickly on the board. Warlingham had given early notice of their intention to clatter Cornish fly half Phil Dale at every opportunity, but it normally pays to do this when a player has the ball in his hands rather than a few minutes later. A penalty launched to the corner, a maul set and a pop pass to Chatley on the angle to drive through a tackle and plant the ball over the line for Dale to convert. Cornish butchered a couple of gilt edged opportunities to extend their lead on 11 and 14 minutes, once when a forward pass would have see wing Tom Jeffery in the clear, and another when a rolling maul reached the Warlingham line, but a body inched ahead of the ball. The lead was extended on 27 minutes when a poor clearance kick was returned with interest by Jeffery and the ball was worked blind for debutant Tom Ievers to straighten and send Chatley over for his second try. With the exiles now rampant, a rolling maul a few minutes later saw the home sides D fall away for Tim Homan to power into the 22, where a home forward was caught offside, Dale on hand to nudge over the 3. Warlingham took fully 34 minutes to reach the visiting 22, and when they did they landed a penalty, though Cornish lost full back Josh Allison to a back injury at this point, him replaced by Hupfield. The final act of the half saw the visitors launch another counter, and when Healey hit Chatley his long cut out pass gave Rich Skinnard (pictured) the room to scoot over for a try converted by Dale wide right, the score at the break 3-22.

Warlingham began the second period with plenty of purpose but were clearly hampered by having a few players out of position, notably in the lineout where they were regularly picked off by Ben Ievers and Skip Harry Somers. When they gained good field position with a scrum on 47 they would not have banked on losing their own put in, but they were driven off the ball, then conceded a penalty after a trademark Ben Devonport burst and then marched back 10 for backchat. Cornish launched the kick to the corner, set the maul after Ben Ievers won the lineout but worked a play off it to give his brother Tom the chance to crash across the line from 5 out, the bonus point try unconverted. Mark O'Leary was brought on to replace Rory Ling at tighthead at this point, the latter having given another good shift at the coalface. On 60 minutes Cornish provided the clearest sign yet of their burgeoning confidence when they countered from their own 22. Great handling and running lines saw Chatley link with Tom Ievers and Joe Donnelly to send Skinnard away, and when he was downed by a great cover tackle inside the home 22, 2 offloads saw the ball into the hands of Hupfield to dive over for a try on debut wide left, this one also unconverted. Donnelly was next to make a break, driving on from half way to the home 22 on 64 minutes, and winning a penalty landed by Dale for offside at the subsequent ruck. Cornish lost a man to the bin shortly afterward, and spent a good 8 minutes defending a series of Warly attacks, which were finally ended when the exiles 7 men drove the Surrey side off their own put in at a scrum v. With the game over as a contest, Cornish were happy to slam the ball into touch when the last play was called.

Like many sides, Warlingham have suffered badly with injuries and absentees in these opening weeks, and their lack of depth was exposed here. They are capable of a far stronger showing than this, and teams would be wise not to think they will get any form of an easy ride when they head to Hamsey Green later in the season.

Cornish will want to continue on their upward curve, and with power to add in the form of a few more of their returning hordes from next week will have plenty of competition for places to help. Training should be very, very interesting in the next few weeks!