For the second week running, London Cornish were forced to play a home match away from the Richardson Evans memorial playing fields, and on this occasion the exiles had to completely cede home advantage to Effingham & Leatherhead in order to get the match played. The result at Browns Lane was an altogether more convincing win than the pre Christmas visit, with Cornish winning by 4 goals, a try and a penalty to two goals and a try, to close the gap in London 2 South-West on 3rd placed Tottonians to 5 points with a game in hand. The result leaves Effingham in 11th place and fighting to retain their long membership of the division.

Cornish arrived at Browns Lane on a surprisingly warm, sunny day given the overnight weather, the pitch in decent condition. With 5 changes from the starting XV successful the previous weekend, and debuts given to Cornishman Ed Drewett at full back and half back Phil Dale at 9, there was an unfamiliar look to the exiles side. It was clear from the outset that the Eagles were keen to use every method to try and prevent set plays, taking quick lineouts and tap penalties from the off. Early exiles forays saw both wings Robin Heymann and Rich Skinnard forced into touch inside the 22, as the ‘home’ side pressed hard. However, completely against the run of play on 10 minutes Effingham took the lead. Cornish spilt the ball in midfield inside the Eagles 22, and with the men in green quickest to react they flooded through and ensured decent support lines to give them an overlap to cross wide left. The try wasn’t converted, and this was an early indication of just why Eagles have struggled in recent months, as their 10 is not striking the ball with anything like the conviction he has done for the last few seasons – he is too good a player for this to last long, but for now he has the yips. Back came the exiles and won a penalty for offside in midfield smack in front of the posts, Luke Spells reducing the arrears to 2. The next penalty was also kickable, and this fell to the Eagles, but the 10 pulled the ball left having taken an age to address the ball. If the lad was annoyed at that, 2 minutes later he would have been livid as his cutout pass on his own 10 was perfectly read by Spells, who intercepted without breaking stride and coasted in under the posts, converting his own try to give his team a 10-5 lead. The game had developed a pattern from early on, Cornish battering the home d probing for gaps and Effingham content to try and soak it up and try and break at pace when they could. With no 8 Mark Osei-Tutu continuing in fine form, this despite having worked until 0600 the same day, and regularly supported by hooker Tim Homan and blind side Chris Anstey, the exiles frequently had good field position but rusty finishing saw them throw cut out passes when all hands was required, or head open when the overlap was blind. On 34 minutes a similar breakout to the one that had cost them the Eagles first try saw a last ditch Matt Hakes tackle save the day for Cornish. A few minutes later, and a lineout claim by lock Harry Somers set a rolling maul to drive deep into the Surrey sides 22, only for the ball to be dropped when a score seemed inevitable. The constant battering they were taking at close quarters was having a visible effect on the strugglers, players all too frequently requiring treatment and they were a relieved bunch when the whistle went for the break, and still in the game a mere 5 points behind.

The stats this season prove that Cornish are a team who invariably step up their game in the second period of matches, and so it proved here. On 42 minutes Homan break from halfway saw the hooker burst into the 22 and link with fellow front row Mike Bond, only for a loose pass to slow the attack. No matter, for the ball found Drewett who weaved a path through the green forwards and o the shadow of the posts where Es were pinged. Skip Dave Theobald, who had seen his side utterly dominant in the tight, elected for a scrum, and as the pack drove their oppo over their line, it was Dale who pounced on the ball for the try, the conversion missed on this occasion. 6 minutes later, and following the concession of two penalties to Anstey and open side Andrew Eustace (him given a chance for an extended run in the side with the news that Ciaran Acford had indeed suffered a break against Totts the previous week), Es found themselves defending a lineout about 7 out. Lock Dave Hill was the target, and as the maul drove towards the line it was Somers who peeled off to crash across the line for the try, Spells adding the extras to suddenly stretch his side out to 22-5 lead. Now really chasing the game, errors began to creep into Es game, the ball all too often knocked on. On 53 minutes Cornish made a couple of changes, bringing on Tom Lloyd and Jamie McDonald for Bond and Anstey. Osei-Tutu continued to make huge ground, and on 54 minutes he linked with Theobald to bounce a tackler and send Heymann away. When finally downed, Dale and Dave Soar worked the ball to Drewett to draw a man and send Hakes skipping down the left wing, inside the full back and clear to round under the posts for the bonus point try, Spells completing an 15 minute 19 point burst with the conversion. However, Es kept Cornish honest on 65 minutes when a chip into the sun bounced awkwardly and an Es back was on hand to take advantage with a converted try. Cornish withdrew Hakes as a precaution, him having taken a blow to his face, Iain Short on for his first 1s bow this season after recovering from injury. Now the Surrey side finally stepped up their game, but the Cornish defence held strong, first Dale winning a penalty for holding then Skinnard driving his opposite number into touch after Es worked room for a 1 on 1. Any hopes Es had of getting back into the match were extinguished on 70 minutes when once again, their 10 wound up a cut out pass on halfway, and once again it was read perfectly by Spells, who collected it and cruised clear to register another converted try. At 36-12 to the home side, Es could have been forgiven for giving up the ghost, but they upped their game again in the remaining 10 minutes, registering another converted try on 74 to give themselves a sniff of a try bonus. The ruse was spotted by the exiles, and lead by Theobald, who is enjoying fine form in the loose and tight at present, Cornish kept it tight with McDonald, Somers and Dale all making ground. With time almost up, Es finally won a penalty virtually under their own posts. Electing to run the ball, they worked the ball this way and that, but could never make it out of their 22 until the ball was finally knocked on for the final whistle to sound, Cornish 36-19 to the good.

Effingham have suffered the kind of season Cornish did last season, a lengthy injury list compounded by unavailability of key players for key matches, and they must now ensure they win the matches against the other teams in the bottom half of the table to extend their long stay at this level. They must know they have the capability having completely exposed the then unbeaten Gosport & Fareham a month or so ago, a chink of light that Guildford will hope to blast wide open next Saturday. We appreciate Eagles flexibility in getting this game on at such short notice, and hope we do indeed see them again next season.

Cornish tried a few new combinations in this match, and the lack of regular match fitness combined with this to produce a steady but slightly disjointed performance. As the coaching team settle on their combinations in the remaining weeks of the season, the half dozen signings since Christmas having been integrated, the fluency should return. It will need to in order to claim that historic 3rd spot.

Heny's great photos of the match can be found at http://82.3.245.199/photos.rugby/General_Rugby_2013_2014/2014_503_1st_London_Cornish/index.htm