7 straight. For a team who had never before won more than 3 straight league games at Level 7, let alone with a bonus point, 7 straight bonus point league wins is a departure from the norm and worth a second glance. That London Cornish achieved this with some aplomb at 6th placed Old Alleynians in Dulwich on Saturday speaks volumes about the development of this squad over the course of the season, the side having now claimed 46 of the last 50 points available to them. The win hoisted the exiles above Tottonians into 3rd place, and if they can maintain that position this will represent the highest placing the club have ever achieved in the league structure.

Cornish elected to give ever-present Skip Dave Theobald a week off for this one, and also gave a start to Jamie McDonald to allow Mark Osei-Tutu a quieter afternoon on the bench. Ben Ievers was back at lock alongside Pete Calvert, enjoying his 100th league appearance in Cornish colours. In the backs, scrummie Rob Healey was available allowing Phil Dale to resume his place at fly.

Alleynians ground has witnessed more points than any other in the division this season, with the hosts boasting the 4th best attack but the 2nd worst defence in the league, so chances were this was going to be a high scoring match. The undulating pitch was in decent nick, and Cornish elected to play up the hill away from Dulwich into the wind in the opening half. Within the first couple of minutes the hosts attacked through the centres but were brought to a shuddering halt by a thumping tackle by stand in Skip Luke Spells, the former Worthing centre demonstrating just why Cornish Pirates head coach Ian Davies rates him so highly. OA’s are a fast improving outfit however, and on 8 minutes they rolled a maul over for an unconverted try after the Cornish d held back. A breathtaking passage of play followed, as both sets of players are playing with real confidence, first one then the other side attacking at pace. On 12 Dale combined with Hakes to drive play to the OA 22, where the visitors won a penalty slotted by Spells. Attempting to repeat their earlier rolling maul on 23, the home side lost their throw in inside the Cornish 22 to a steal from Calvert but won a penalty on 25 for hands in, though this attempt slid wide left. Within a minute their kicker had a chance to make amends from exactly the same spot, and this time he made no mistake to give his side an 8-3 lead. It has become a common trait for Cornish to fall behind in the opening quarter of matches, and OA’s fully deserved their lead. However, from the restart the whole shape of the game changed and changed for good. Ievers claimed the kick off and drove on, before Dale worked a couple of options to take play into the OA 22, and finally Healey put Calvert into space to step through a tackle and plunge across the line under the posts, Spells adding the conversion to give his side a lead they would not relinquish. Suddenly it was all Cornish, a Dale break supported by Robin Heymann and Hakes down the left channel before an OA hand knocked the final pass away for the ball to be cleared at a scrum shortly after, though with Healey causing his opposite number all sorts of problems at the base of scrums no clearance was easy for the home side. On 35 Alleynians were pinged 10 out for an early jump at a lineout, and Healey took a quick tap to spin the ball to Dale, the fly half once more demonstrating what a vital signing he is, stepping the d before dashing over the tryline and under the posts for another try converted by Spells for a 17-8 lead. 2 minutes later and back came the visitors, this time fantastic interplay between backs and forwards seeing prop Oli Low, McDonald, Calvert and Ievers drive deep into the 22 before Dale hit Spells flat to clear through the OA d to canter over under the posts, him converting his own score. A rampant Cornish now put the game to bed in the shadow of half time, a Brading break supported by Andrew Eustace (whose tackle count throughout this match was huge) for Healey to produce a sublime reverse ball to Ievers to burst through at pace and sprint over under the posts for the bonus point try applauded by both exiles and home supporters alike, though somehow the conversion attempt was skewed wide. In the last 13 minutes of the half Cornish had scored 4 tries in a devastating demonstration of support play and execution, the travelling exiles support delighted by a half time score of 29-8.

Alleynians are rarely kept scoreless for long and they gambled from the off in the second half, attempting to run the ball from their 22 at every opportunity. With 48 gone their 15, a stockily built and elusive runner, fielded a weak clearance kick and countered. He seemed to have broken all the way through but a fine covering tackle from Rich Skinnard downed him on the 22, though he offloaded to a supporting player to carry his fine work under the posts for a converted try. Now it was the OA’s turn to dominate for a period, and Cornish lost a man to the bin on 51 after he killed the ball at a ruck 5 out in the red zone. OAs tried once more to roll the maul over from the lineout but Cornish were wise to this tactic and drove them into touch before clearing long. Winning a penalty on 55 inside exiles territory, Alleynians were unsettled by a strong Cornish counter at a scrum for Tim Homan and Dale to fly hack the ball clear. Cornish made a triple change at this point, Low, Rich Skinnard and McDonald withdrawn for Gregor Morris, Osei-Tutu and Joe Skinnard. Now having weathered the OA storm, Cornish stepped it up again and on 61 minutes won a penalty Dale pinged to 10 out. Ievers claimed the lineout and fed Calvert to drive on before his flick outside saw Osei-Tutu sprint at the angle from left to right across the line for his 15th try of the season, improved by his Skipper. Dale was now withdrawn for Rich Skinnard to return to the fray. 3 minutes later and with Alleynians now chasing the game, Healey intercepted his opposite numbers pass on the exiles 22 to sprint clear before offloading to Hakes to cross wide left, this one not converted but the score now 41-15 to Cornish. On 69 and following a kick in behind, Healey took a blow to the head and was replaced at 9 by Dale. Rich Skinnard had been thus far kept away from scoring opportunities but on 73 he decided to create one, collecting a ball 10 from his own line, he arrowed through a gap and then around the covering wing only shepherded into touch 5 out. Unable to clear their lines far in the wind, OAs were penned back and 2 minutes later were unable to prevent the powerful Craig Chatley and from Hakes driving to the shadow of the posts, where Dale fed Calvert for the centurion to twist out of a tackle and powerfully drive his way over just to the left of the posts, Spells taking his sides score to 48. With time almost up there was time for one more score, Alleynians back 3 making a complete horlicks of a Joe Skinnard kick, Morris the recipient of a rash offload, him clearing away before drawing the last man to offload to a gleeful Mike Bond to leave his indelible imprint on the match, Spells appropriately ending the scoring with the conversion of this 8th try for his team.

It would be harsh to judge Alleynians on this scoreline alone. They are a vastly improved team and had little to play for, having already secured their place in the division for next season and they really did come up against a side brim full of confidence. The drink off post match was entertaining and by the time you read this, their MoM may have finished his pint!! We look forward to seeing them next season.

Cornish have raised their game since the enforced break but know that every team in this league can hurt you if you are not on your game. There was real entertainment for spectators in the manner in which they won this match, but the hunt for 3rd place will probably go down to the wire so more is required yet!