3 tries in a compelling 2nd half Cornish comeback on the opening round of London 1 South season proved not quite enough as hosts Cobham deservedly landed the spoils at Fairmile Lane on Saturday, the exiles going down by 29-25. The key difference between the sides was actually discipline, as the concession of 4 kickable penalties by the visitors demonstrates, and pivotal in that 2nd period where their dominance was hampered by 2 yellow cards.
The wedding and birthday season had a profound effect on both sides selection, with absentees for Cornish too numerous to mention, and former Pirates Amateur no 8 Jack Vosper not having recovered in time from a knock he took in a pre season friendly to make his debut. 7 players were given their debut on the day and 2s Skipper Mark Shields was also included at centre, and it took time for the combinations to find their feet, the late rally demonstrating that spirit in the camp is high even if execution has room to improve.
Cobham have a fantastic set up, and their 1s pitch was in great condition as the game kicked off in balmy weather. As ever, the Cornish pack dominated the early exchanges in the tight, winning the first of a series of penalties at the opening scrum as former Sidmouth prop Steve Wallace on debut, Jake Slade and Mark O’Leary put the squeeze on. However, the frequent concession of penalties in the loose saw Cornish marched back until it was they defending on their line, the final pen kicked on 10 minutes to give the home side the lead. The exiles levelled 2 minutes later when Cobham were pinged for a ruck offence, Skip George Kimmins lifting the first of his 4 kicks (on a day he didn’t miss) between the uprights. With play having a distinctly early season feel to it for a period, the home side began to feel their way into the match, and when Cornish conceded a scrum 5 following a forward pass, Cob struck, their back row driving through a tackle to score under the posts, the try converted. Once again, it only took 2 minutes for Cornish to respond, Kimmins driving another decent strike through the posts to narrow the deficit to 4 on 28 minutes. 5 minutes later and a simple wrap around caught the visiting defence short, the right wing touching down for an unconverted try, and a couple of minutes later Cob missed the chance to extend their 9 point lead when a penalty attempt flew to the left of the posts. Cornish ended the half on the attack, but knock-ons had hindered their ability to build more than 3 phases, and so it proved again for the whistle to sound with the Surrey side 9 points to the good.
Early in the 2nd period, Cornish lost a back to the bin for a trip, and they fell further behind when a penalty was landed after another ruck offence, Cobham now 18-6 ahead. This was the signal for the visitors to ring the changes, Oli Low on for O’Leary at prop and debuts given to David Chalkley at lock and Steffan Lloyd at full back, Steve Wood and Jack Skerritt withdrawn. The replacements seemed to galvanise the visitors, and on 50 minutes a sniping run from stand-in scrum half Dan Phoenix took play deep into the home 22, quick ball giving hitherto unused wing Rory Stanyard a chance wide left. The youngster has demonstrated great finishing ability at every level at which he has played at the club and in pre season too, and here he stood up the full back before planting the ball over the line for his sides first try of the season, though it was not improved with the exiles regular kicker off the pitch. Any hopes Cornish had of building on that score were undone within minutes, for they lost another man to the bin at the opening ruck following the try to concede 3 to the pen, and then conceded another penalty for a high tackle, slotted by the home kicker to take the score to 24-11. The exiles had to score next to remain in the game, and when another debutant Will Sheridan won a penalty for holding on the hour mark, they had their chance. Slade hit James La Broy at the lineout, and Cornish launched a furious assault on the home line, culminating in Nick Goss driving to the line under the posts, and lock Harry Somers smuggling it over the whitewash with the assistance of Phoenix, Kimmins converting. In keeping with much that gone before, the exiles contrived to gift the ball and field position back to their grateful hosts on 64 minutes with a penalty conceded for an accidental offside after a fly-hacked ball ricocheted into the hands of a player in front of the kicker. Cobham worked room following the lineout for one of their forwards to twist out of a tackle and over for an unconverted try wide right. Skerritt returned at centre to replace the cramping Shields, and suddenly it seemed as if the home side were beginning to tire with visitors restored to full number. On 72 minutes Cornish countered from deep in their 22, Skerritt skipping through a tackle and linking with Stanyard before putting yet another man making his first start into space, Lewis McKissick the grateful recipient, though he was brought down inside the home 22 and the chance lost. Back came the exiles, Somers, La Broy, Low, Goss and Phoenix all making lung busting carries before Kimmins hit Funston on the 22. The Ulsterman cut a great line to break the d and dive over for a try well converted from wide right by Kimmins. The Cob kick off flew dead, and with the referee indicating 90 seconds left, there was time for one last throw of the dice, with 4 points separating the sides. Cornish threw everything at Cobham in these last seconds, driving play into the home 22, but the young home side defended well and forced the knock on before fittingly, the visitors conceded a penalty to end the game, Cobham winners by 29-25.
As ever, Cobham are great hosts and the two clubs mixed well into the late summer sunshine comparing notes. Though the shape of the 2 teams will most likely be vastly different from this point on, the shape of the relationship between the 2 clubs remains what it has always been, strong. We wish Cob well and hope to return the hospitality at the end of the season.
Cornish will reflect that they will not win many games conceding the mountain of penalties they had on this occasion, and there are a number of reasons for those penalties on which the team can work. It may take a few weeks for selection to settle down as the array of new players and those returning to action blend in to the set up, but there was plenty on which to build in this performance.