Despite the scoreline, London Cornish emerged from this London 1 South encounter at league leaders Medway with good reason to be cheerful, for despite missing 20 1s squad players with injury, the side front up and dominated large sections of this match. Though the exiles slip to 8th in the league, the careful management of those on the injury list has ensured that it will be a very different looking LCRFC who play the final quarter of the season...
Medway had hammered Cornish in the reverse fixture, and were to prove once again that they are clearly the best team in the league on this day. They would been hard pushed to recognise the team their opponents, many of whom have played very little 1st team rugby, and there was to be a noteable debut off the bench for former 3rd Team Skipper Joby Newton, who hails from Tresco on the Isles of Scilly. Drizzle fell throughout the match on a pitch already heavy, and the visitors played towards the ground entrance in the opening period. One of the key reasons Cornish have struggled of late is that fact that in around half of their fixtures this season, the team have been forced to play without a recognised hooker, and here once again tight head Dave Theobald stepped into the breech. You may think the exiles need more depth in this position, but the fact is that the first 5 potential choices for the role are all injured, Nick Goss (who is a flanker) the most recent following an operation to repair the facial damage he suffered at Thurrock. Other than the win over Gravesend, the last time the exiles were able to field a bona fide hooker was in the win over Maidstone back in November! Cornish opened well, and were first on the scoreboard on 4 minutes when Skip George Kimmins, who was to enjoy a decent all round game, demonstrated that his new kicking tee was up to job with a penalty for offside. Medway responded with a pen of their own on 7, but were rocked on 12 minutes later when Cornish rolled a maul to the foot of the posts before releasing full back Harry Buttery to produce a soft shoe shuffle out wide, and plunge over for a score converted superbly from the touchline by Kimmins. A further injury blow hit the visitors when Ali Springer pulled a hamstring, Steve Wood a like for like replacement at 6. Shortly after this, Cornish lost a man to the bin for knocking a ball back as he retreated to cover a break out and how the home side made their visitors pay. Inspired by their fine fly half, Medway struck back on 24 when one of their forwards wriggled clear of a tackle and shot over for a converted try, and 6 minutes later they scored again when they used a wrap around to send their right wing over for a well converted try. Worse was to follow for Cornish, as they had a kick charged down on 35, which landed squarely in the arms of the an onrushing Medway forward to cross for another converted try, and finally on the stroke of half-time, Medway produced the best passage of play of the match, a multi-phase attack that saw them score wide left. They had scored 28 points in a blistering 15 minute spell to lead 31-10, pouncing on any Cornish error to demonstrate why they are top of the league. 21 of those points had been registered when the exiles had a man in the bin.
The exiles suffered further injury woe at the break, centre Dave Funston withdrawn with a knee injury, Chris Smart on in his place. Most watching would have expected the floodgates to open in the 2nd period, but they were to be proved wrong. For the opening 20 minutes of the half, Cornish pinned their hosts in their 22, strong carries from Matt Chambers (who had another impressive game), James La Broy, Tom Ievers, Kimmins, Matt Hakes and Eliot Cave repeatedly driving play close to the Medway try line. Time and again Cornish won penalties, but rather than kick them, they elected for scrums or tapped and went. This stern test of the home defence took its toll, and eventually the Medway 10 was binned for a team offence. In common with many of their recent performances, Cornish were simply not clinical enough to break the line, and part of the reason for this has been their inability to secure repeated quick ball both at set pieces and in the loose. Finally, on 65 minutes, Medway broke from deep to enter the exiles 22 for the first time in the second period, though the danger was cleared by Rich Stephens, another player who can be happy with his days work. On 68 minutes, the home 9 found a gap on half-way and was able to clear away for the only score of the second half, successfully converted by the restored Medway 10. Newton came on in the remaining minutes, demontrating that he is happy to stick his body on the line for the cause as he forced a turnover in his 22 to enable a break out, which came to nought. When the final whistle went, it was a slightly frustrated Medway who greeted it, a tad surprised that their visitors had not caved in as expected in an attritional second half.
Medway are by some distance the best all round team Cornish have faced this season, and rightly sit atop the pile. They are ambitious to go up, and the good relations between the 2 clubs built up over a few seasons of combat was only enhanced there - we wish them well even though we will probably not see them next season.
Cornish move in to a week off, and can take plenty from this match. Spirits remain high despite the recent run, and selection is about to become a whole lot more competitive from this point!