A pulsating final 16 minute spell saw London Cornish eventually run out emphatic winners at London 2 South-West basement side Portsmouth on Saturday. The exiles scored 4 tries in those closing minutes and 27 unanswered points in a fine second half display that saw them win by a goal, 4 tries and a penalty to a try and a penalty. The win lifted the visitors to 7th in the table and left the Hampshire firmly rooted to the bottom; they are now on a run of having won only 1 of their last 13 matches at this level.

With defeats against the top 3 in the division in hugely competitive matches this season, and a decent bonus point win in the locker from the other match, this revitalized Cornish side were surprised to note some of the pre match comments in the press suggesting Portsmouth had been ‘targetting this game for a little while’. Although the hosts were bolstered by the return of 4 of their key players for the first time this season, Cornish were fielding the front five that had given league leaders Gosport & Fareham such a torrid time in the tight the previous week, and had demonstrated an ability to hurt the best the league had to offer in attack.

On a fine, sunny day following all the overnight rain, Cornish played away from the clubhouse end of the pitch in the opening half. Early Pompey forays were met with strong defence, open side Ciaran Acford belying his size on one occasion driving an attacker back into his half. On 7 minutes, Mark Osei-Tutu linked with Will Carew-Gibbs to send the exiles hooker into the home 22, where he was dump tackled by the home 7 who was correctly consigned to a 10 minute break. Full back Adam Rae stepped up to send his side into an early lead. Both sides missed kickable penalties in the next 10 minutes, a deceptive breeze drifting well struck balls away from the posts. On 21, and following a series of hammering runs from lock Ben Ievers, wing Phil Francis and back rows Luke Bridges (on debut) and Osei-Tutu, Cornish worked their way to five out from the home sides line. As a pass was fizzed right to left across the backline, the home wing stepped in to intercept and run the length of the pitch, crossing to score wide right for an unconverted try. The opportunist score lifted the Hants side, and their 10 arrowed a couple of decent kicks into the exiles 22 forcing good work from the visiting lineout to secure decent ball for fly half Dave Soar to clear. When Portsmouth went wide on their next foray, a Cornish back nearly intercepted just inside his own half and was disappointed to be binned for his effort. Even at this early point in the game, the home pack was struggling to cope with the exiles in the tight, and they replaced a prop at this point as Carew-Gibbs took the first of 6 clean strikes against the head in the match. However, a high tackle on the half hour gave Portsmouth the chance to extend their lead, which was landed to make the score 8-3. Try as they might with what possession they had with the extra man, Pompey could find no way through the exiles midfield where centre Dave Warwick enjoyed a flawless defensive display. On 34, the home scrum half was pinged for the second time for feeding, though this time a full penalty was awarded but this kickable effort also flew left. When the restart was knocked on, Cornish won the ball against the head and then won a penalty, this time electing to kick to the left hand corner. Two further penalties were won as Cornish worked to drive over, and at the third attempt Osei-Tutu crashed over but no try could be awarded as the referee had been felled in the melee. Finally, with time running out on the half, Sam Williams hit Soar flat to drive through a tackle to the line, but the referee deemed the ball knocked on in the act of scoring and that was the last action of the half.

Though frustrated to be behind at the break, the decent travelling support had noted that plenty of the home players seemed to be struggling when repeated phases of play tested their fitness. However, it was Portsmouth who briefly threatened in the opening minutes of the second period, their right wing launching a searing run from half way, eventually forcing Cornish to carry over for a scrum V after decent covering work by Williams and centre Ian Keith. To their horror, the home side lost the ball against the head again, Skip Dave Theobald destroying the home loose head and Williams clearing. A scrappy period of play followed, until on 55 minutes Cornish right wing Robin Heymann produced the moment of class to finally unlock the home defence. Receiving the ball on halfway on a counter, he sprinted outside his opposite number, stepped inside the cover and then away from the full back to scorch over wide right. Though the conversion attempt missed, the score lit the blue touch paper for the visitors, and simultaneously emptied the fragile confidence on which the home sides performance had been based. On came Phil Jones for Bridges at 6, the latter having enjoyed a fine debut. Now Cornish kept it tight, launching a couple of huge rolling mauls on the back of penalties kicked into the Portsmouth half. At first the ball was knocked on in midfield, but at the scrum on 64 minutes Cornish drove the home side off their own ball, Osei-Tutu driving into midfield, and when Soar chipped a kick in behind the bounce favoured Heymann, who stepped inside and offloaded to the supporting Jones to crash over for an unconverted try. Sensing their moment, the entire exiles side began playing the brand of rugby that should make the season ahead an exciting one – launching repeated phases that included one sidestepping, thundering run by Theobald and two strong carries by Jones, Cornish won a penalty after a claim on the floor by prop Mike Bond and kicked it to 10 out down the right hand flank. When the lineout and maul was reset as a scrum, the visitors simply marched their hosts back over their line for Osei-Tutu to claim a deserved try, him in the form of his life and this his 5th try of the season. Again the conversion flew wide as the absence of the exiles regular kicker bit, the lead still only 10 at 18-8 but the match now turned on its head. 4 minutes later and following a rushed clearance, the exiles backs got in on the act. Rae countered on halfway, Keith straightened and linked with Soar, whose arrowing run drew the last man and sent Carew-Gibbs diving over for the bonus point score, this one also unconverted. Off came Theobald and Williams for Tom Lloyd and Sam Portham, both seeing plenty of ball in the closing stages. With runners in support at all angles, Soar now had options on all sides, and with time almost up his inside pass hit a flying Ievers on the 10 metre line, the rangy lock powering away from clutching hands, into the 22 and to the last man, who was drawn before the final pass to his jubilant fellow 2nd row Harry Somers sent the Penzance man over for his first try in Cornish colours, this one converted by Soar for a 30-8 final score.

Its been a tough start to the season for Portsmouth following the loss of a couple of their key players from last season. They had a few of their numbers back on this occasion, and will hope that as they regain match fitness their results will improve. Their Committee are a decent bunch and will need to support their coaching team through their early season travails. Their catering team are first class – a great choice of sausage casserole or chicken kiev with lashings of mash was ideal!

Cornish move onward and upward. It’s the cup next week and the coaching team will not want to lose any momentum gained here.