London Cornish squeezed enough quality into the 64 minutes of available play in this match to claim a bonus point win to extend their lead at the top of London 2 South-West to 16 points, the RFU having confirmed the result following a ‘stewards enquiry’ on Monday. The game was curtailed when a Portsmouth player was badly injured with the 16 minutes remaining, and with the 1s pitch at the REMPF unplayable, all other activity at the ground having been postponed due to the weather, and no indication of how long the ambulance would take to treat and remove the player, the referee in conjunction with the coaching teams and skippers from the 2 clubs took the only option they could, which was to abandon the match. The postscript is that the player was discharged from hospital with a bad concussion, but nothing more serious thankfully.
Persistent rain and snow had placed the match in doubt right up to the point at which Portsmouth were due to travel, the exiles 2s home match with Hammersmith & Fulham having to be moved to the visitors ground north of the river (won 17-15 by LCRFC!). Playing on the heavier 2nd pitch at the REMPF would mean a longer traipse for the largest crowd seen at an LCRFC home match for some time, bolstered by a fine showing from VP’s enjoying the Nationwide Print sponsored game. The league leaders showed a few changes from the previous week, with hooker Jake Slade unavailable and Tim Homan injured, Nick Goss took the 2 shirt; James La Broy came in at 6 with Dan Leo switching to 8 making the back 5 as big as any seen at this level in your correspondents time at the club. Chris Smart continued in the 9 shirt, playing his last match before he heads away just as first choice Rich Stephens returns, and on the bench there would be debuts for 2 new signings in Pete Smith (brother of full back Dave), and Chris Kolapo-Ajala, late of Ipswich & the Eastern Counties County Championship side.
The early signs were that this could become a mud wrestle, and the visitors nearly took the lead on 7 minutes but their kicker missed a relatively straightforward penalty for a ruck offence. Cornish responded with a try to warm the spirits of their supporters, a blind side snipe on halfway from Dave Smith seeing an inside ball taken on by Dave Funston and Miles Rushworth before a further inside pass put Skip Craig Chatley away for a try by the posts, converted by fit again George Kimmins. With the home side dominant for a period, Kimmins added a penalty on 16 minutes from in front to give his side a 10-0 lead. The visitors used their 10s boot wisely throughout the first half, a gathering breeze seeing play sent down to the exiles left hand 22, but tremendous defence kept the trouble to a minimum with the ball spilt in contact and cleared on a couple of occasions. On 27 minutes a fine run by Nick Goss was carried on by Harry Somers into the Portsmouth 22 wide right, and as the ball was worked across the pitch Funston straightened to put Matt Hakes one on one with his opposite number. A quick shimmy left the lad clutching thin air, and Hakes was over in the corner (see pictures), this one unconverted. Hakes was withdrawn shortly afterward to receive treatment for a black eye, Pete Smith on for his debut. Goss had also taken a knock to the shoulder and moved to flank to replace Tom Ievers who had a stinger, Dave Theobald moving to hooker and Tom Lloyd on at prop. The effect of this was that Cornish began shipping both scrum and lineout ball, gifting the visitors a steady stream of possession that required all hands to the pumps from a defensive perspective, Oli Low producing a series of bear hug tackles to down runners inside his 22. Despite losing a man to the bin as the break approached, the league leaders held the Hampshire side at bay, 15-0 to the good at the break.
A man down and with a set piece malfunctioning against one of the lumpier packs in the division on a heavy pitch is not a great place to be, despite being two scores up, but Cornish are not unbeaten for nothing and racked up a decent tackle count defending the enterprising visitors attacks. Now however, the breeze was at the league leaders backs, so full value was being achieved for clearing kicks. An arm wrestle developed, with the home side working to stifle Pompey attacks and presenting the ball back to their visitors too easily for a period. With weaponry on the bench and back up to full numbers, Cornish made a key double change on 54 minutes, Rushworth withdrawn for Kolapo to make his debut, and Hakes back on in his favoured back row position to allow Goss to return to hook with Low withdrawn. The impact these changes had on the match was instantaneous, for now the exiles returned to their all court game, winning their set pieces and spreading the ball the width of the field. On 60 minutes the ball was worked from right to left across the 22 to Kolapo. The giant wing opened up, burning off his opposite number before diving over wide left (see pictures) for Kimmins to produce another sumptuous conversion. 22-0 became 29-0 in a flash, this time Funston making a half break before sending Kolapo away down the centre of the pitch to score the bonus point try under the posts, Kimmins adding the extras. Stunned into a response, the visitors best player on the day hit a fine line on half way on 64 minutes, but just as he gathered himself inside the 22, he was felled by a tap tackle when in full stride, the speed of his fall meaning he could not get his hands out to break it, his head the first part of his body to hit the deck. It was immediately apparent that this was not a straightforward fall, and credit must be given to the exiles Physio Gemma Hendry who outsprinted everyone to get to the stricken Portsmouth player first. The referee was also right up with play and called a halt before the next phase could begin. That was the backdrop to the game being abandoned at this point, and it is a relief to everyone to learn that a concussion and sore neck is the damage rather than anything more serious.
Portsmouth should have enough credit in the bank to avoid being dragged into the relegation battle, and they continue to be a physical and tough opposition to master at this level. We wish them good luck in their cup match in a couple of weeks time and for the rest of the season.
Cornish are delighted to have landed a couple more key signings right when they need them most, and have more to add to the mix if they can get fit in time. The return of Rich Stephens and Ed Atkin to contest the 9 shirt from this point on is very welcome (no slight on Smart here – when he returns from his holiday he will definitely add to the competition at his favoured centre position), and the returns to action of hookers Jake Slade and Gregor Morris (out for a year but who has now played the last 2 2s matches successfully) is also great news. With plenty to play for, the players need to retain their focus in the remaining months of the season.