With injury time tries timed at 86 and 89 minutes, London Cornish bagged the 29-7 bonus point win over ailing Gravesend that sent the exiles back up to 5th place in London 1 South at the REMPF on Saturday. In truth, Cornish had created enough opportunities during the course of the match to have comfortably sewn up the bonus point well before that last gasp effort, but the team got there in the end and the record books will only record that fact, and the fact that this was a welcome win for the exiles.
With the 1s pitch still waterlogged from incessant rain during the week, the match was moved to the second pitch, a little further away from the clubhouse. The pitch was in decent nick and the exiles were able to call on Kiwi Elliot Cave in the row in the place of the injured Harry Somers and Matt Hakes out wide in place of Andy Hill, who reverted to full back to allow Dan Phoenix to move to centre in place of Joe Donnelly who benched. This continuity meant that the home side could count on a steady supply of ball from their set pieces, and once again dominance in the tight was to prove crucial on the day. Cave, who had a fine game, acrobatically claimed the kick off, and though territorially dominant, Cornish could not break down a stubborn Gravesend defence in the opening 10 minutes. On 11 minutes, scrum half Rich Stephens who is running in to form, took a quick tap inside his own half before Hill was sent away down the right wing. He drew a man then hit Hakes to cut inside off one foot and out off the other to dive over for a well constructed and executed opening try, though it was not converted. Cornish won a kickable penalty shortly afterward for not releasing but the effort missed to the left of the posts. On 3 separate occasions in the next 20 minutes, the league newcomers created overlaps but could not finish, passes either flying into touch, knocked on, or the wrong option taken, Gravesend only making it into the Cornish 22 on one occasion in the opening 30 minutes. Another Stephens break on 31 minutes was the catalyst for the next attack, Hill and Hakes again both involved before a scrum was won 5 out, but somehow when the ball was picked up a visitors player emerged with it and the danger was averted. Another penalty won at scrum time saw the home side kick to 5 out, but having worked another overlap the final pass flew beyond its intended receiver to more frustration all round. With virtually their first real attack of the match G's won a kickable penalty on the stroke of half-time, but it flew wide to make the score at the break 5-0 to Cornish.
Winning the restart, with their very first attack Cornish worked room to send Hakes over the whitewash wide right, only to be called back for a forward pass. They turned over the G's scrum, then won a series of penalties in the same spot 5 out down the right hand flank, but despite driving the visitors back, the ball was knocked on right by the try line and the opportunity lost. Cornish withdrew Mark O'Leary for Jamie Robert-Tissot at this point, no respite he for the G's front row. The incessant hammering was beginning to take its toll on the visitors, with players frequently requiring treatment when play was stopped, and at least one forward replaced with an injury. On 51 minutes, Chambers picked up from the base of an attacking scrum and drove toward the posts. He was down a few feet short, but had the presence of mind to reach out and place the ball at the foot of the post for the try, just before a boot came in to move it away (pictured). The score was converted by his Skipper, George Kimmins. His work done for now, Chambers was replaced shortly afterward for Tim Homan, whose season has been so curtailed this was only his 3rd appearance. Cornish also withdrew Hakes now, bringing Donnelly on at 12, Phoenix slipping back to 15 and Hill onto the wing. With Cave, the irrepressibly James La Broy and similarly effervescent Claude Springer beginning to make real yards with every carry, the dam would surely burst soon? However, depsite their limited attacking prowess, Gravesend have had plenty of practice defending this season, and they continued to do so admirably, tempers on both sides flaring on a couple of occasions as both sides grew frustrated with their own inabilities to finish. This cost the home side a man to the bin, which hampered their efforts to increase try count. On a series of occasions during this phase of the match, Cornish knocked on when well placed and after missing a kickable penalty on 57 minutes, Kimmins landed one on 65 to take his side out to a 15-0 lead. With time running out and Cornish restored to full numbers, it appeared as though this would be the final score, but those watching saw the tempo change from both sides in injury time. Winning a penalty on the visitors 22, Stephens was downed early by the visiting 10, ending the lads game early with the sin bin. Cornish set the scrum, and Homan picked up, forcing his way over the line as he so often does when he gets a sniff of the whitewash, Kimmins adding the extras. Hooker Ken Onwuka came off with a tight hammo, Chambers back on in his place. At the restart, Gs won a penalty in midfield and one of their forwards caught Cornish napping, him galloping through untouched to score by the posts, the conversion drop kicked for the extras. With the referee indicating final play, Nick Goss pinched the ball back on the floor for the home side to launch one final assualt. Stephens, Phoenix, Goss and Donnelly were all involved until the ball found Chambers 5 out. With 3 men on him, he somehow twisted clear enough to reach out and plant the ball onto the try line under the watchful gaze of the referee, who awarded the bonus point try to a mixture of glee and relief for the exiles, Kimmins drilling a decent conversion between the uprights to put some gloss on the final score at 29-7.
Though Gravesend never gave up, it is difficult to see where they have the firepower to get out of the drop zone on this showing, their 8th straight league defeat. They have some lumpy forwards capable of bashing holes, but they probably need to win at least 5 of their remaining games to avoid the drop and that is a tall order. They were decent company post match, and we wish them well in their onward quest and are delighted they enjoyed the post match pasties!
Whilst far from perfect, there were plenty of encouraging aspects about this performance by Cornish, not least the fact that the side are creating so many scoring opportunities at present. They will need to be more clinical if they want to continue what they began here, and that will be the focus at training moving forwards.