London Cornish won a hugely physical and tense encounter to record their first win, and visitors Teddington’s first defeat, of this London 2 South-West season. The home side won by virtue of their better discipline, the expert kicking of centre Luke Spells, and a superb performance by comfortably the best player on the park, no 8 Simon Brading. After 3 matches, just 2 teams remain unbeaten in the division and only 2 remain winless.

Cornish gave a debut to Welsh open side Phil Jones, and with Brading available for the first time this season, this was a sizeable exiles pack. With Spells and Phil Francis both recovered from the injuries that kept them out of the previous weeks match, the home side was able to move Graeme Smeaton to fly half, where he had performed well last season.

Playing away from the car park end in the opening period on a fine sunny day with the breeze at their backs, Cornish opened wearing their new 50th Anniversary kit for the first time. Within 4 minutes they had conceded a kickable penalty, but the Teddington kicker pushed his attempt right. With both sides thumping into tackles with territorial domination vital, it was Brading who gave early warning of intent, powering through attempts to stop him and frequently over the gain line. On 14 minutes Cornish won a penalty after Ts were pinged for offside on their 10 metre line, and Spells lifted the first of 5 super strikes between the posts to give his side the early lead. 5 minutes later the confident visitors responded, returning a poor clearing kick with interested, making room down the right flank for their wing to step the cover and round under the posts for a converted try. The two front rows were well matched early on, Mike Bond, Will Carew-Gibbs and Skipper Dave Theobald enjoying their tussle with their opposite numbers. The two scrum halves were also evenly matched, both particularly vocal and keeping the game at a high pace. A Madigan snipe and Mark Osei-Tutu burst on 28 drew hands in from Ts on their own 22 and Spells again struck to close the gap to 1. 5 minutes later the visitors had a chance of their own, but their man again pushed his kick right. Spells and fellow centre Nick Stanley increasingly caused their opposite numbers problems as the domination of possession saw first one side on top and then the other. Gradually, Cornish began to wrest control in the tight, turning over 2 successive Ts scrums before winning a penalty left side on the Ts 22. However, a hasty option to run the ball saw a knock on end the half, the visitors a point to the good.

In a tight match such as this, neither side can afford a 10 minute period off their game, and the period straight after the break effectively settled the match. Brading pinched the ball on the floor at the restart, and as the ball was worked to Stanley inside his own half the visitors were caught offside in midfield. Madigan seized his chance, taking a tap and dashing between two forwards he linked with first Smeaton, then Spells who arced his run between the covering backs and sent supporting full back Tom Dorse away, him drawing the last man but electing to dummy before crashing man and ball across the line for the try. The well struck conversion missed right but Cornish now had an 11-7 lead. Coaches across the world tear their hair out at times when their teams attempt to run the ball out of their defence, and having looked unlikely to run the length of the pitch at any time in the match, Teddington tried to run it out on 45, finding the exiles defence far stronger than in the previous 2 weeks as Francis and Stanley wrapped up their man. The inevitable penalty for holding was won, and Spells launched another fine kick into the breeze to suddenly extend his sides lead to 7. This seemed to spark the exiles, and they now began to play their best rugby of the season so far, Smeaton orchestrating his back line well and Spells an increasing influence, Dorse again cutting inside on 48 minutes before offloading to wing Stu Bell, who was bundled into touch right on the line. To their horror, Ben Ievers nicked the Teddington lineout, and as Cornish worked the ball into midfield Ts were caught offside, Spells again punishing the misdemeanor with the 3. Teddington had to score next, and they were aided when an exile was given 10 in the bin for a ruck offence. Within minutes this decent Teddington side brought themselves right back in the match, working room for the extra man to score wide right, then their kicker producing a beaut to reduce the deficit to 17-14. Bell had taken a knock to the head, and was replaced by Iain Short on the wing and Pete Calvert was also on for Tom Stock at this point as the physical nature of the match took its toll on both sides. On the hour the visitors kicker slid another one wide from a kickable position on the home 22, and soon after the exiles were back up to their full compliment. With 12 left, it was Osei-Tutu smashing his way through a tackle and carrying the ball deep into Ts territory. As Madigan and Smeaton worked the ball into Stanley, Ts were once again pinged for not rolling away, and Spells calmly lifted his 5th penalty over to give his side the lead by 6. Cornish were now in the ascendancy, Brading to the fore as they won a series of penalties up the left flank. Kicking the ball to the corner, a series of pick and drives involving Osei-Tutu, Brading, front row replacement George Johnson and Calvert before yet another penalty was conceded by Teddington, but this time from near the left hand touchline Spells drifted his kick wide. With time running out, back came the visitors, bayed on by their decent and fair support. With 2 left their 10 angled a great kick to within inches of the exiles line, Dorse covering but forced to carry it over. To their huge frustration, Teddington were pinged at the scrum for an early engage and despite one more surge into midfield when they were met by a thumping Brading tackle that dislodged the ball, time ran out, them having to be content with the losing bonus point.

One of the great things about this division is no matter just how tough the battles are on the pitch, off it there really are some fantastic clubs. Though galling to lose such a close match, the Teddington players and coaching team were a credit to their club and stayed long at The Telegraph post match chewing the fat over various elements of the game. They looked a hugely improved outfit compared with last season, and will surely be looking up rather than down come reckoning time at the seasons end. We look forward to another belter in the New Year.

For Cornish this performance was a huge step forward on the previous two, albeit back on their home ground for their first time and with the return of a few vital, familiar faces. There are still more to come back in, so expect a continued, gradual improvement in the exiles fortunes as Tom Sincocks men gel.