London Cornish maintained their challenge for honours at the top end of London 2 South-West with a workmanlike performance against an obdurate and improved Portsmouth side at Rugby Camp yesterday. The win came courtesy of a try in each half from talismanic no 8 Mark Osei-Tutu, who took his tally for the season to 14 in the 13 league games to date. Whilst not hitting the heights of some of the tries in the previous 2 matches, winning without playing well is a useful habit to have!

A heavy overnight frost had fully defrosted in time for the kick off, though the pitch was still very heavy in places. Cornish played towards the clubhouse end in the opening period and were quickly out of the blocks, driving runs from Ben Devonport and Craig Chatley taking play deep into Portsmouth territory before a series of penalties eventually ended with Luke Spells slotting one from smack in front on 4 minutes. The home side responded well with a series of phases of their own, and the exiles conceded a penalty themselves on 11, converted to level things up by the home kicker. Back came Cornish, a huge Joe Skinnard penalty from inside his own half sending his pack to the Pompey 22, and when the visitors won another penalty at the lineout, Portsmouth lost a man to the bin, fly half Phil Dale sending another kick to 5 out down the right hand side. Hooker will Carew-Gibbs hit his man and as the exiles pack drove on, it was Osei-Tutu who was able to crash across the line to claim an unconverted try. Portsmouth's improvement is as much to do with their ability to retain possession as anything, and on 27 minutes they put together 16 phases of play to break into the visiting 22 only to be pinged for going off their feet when in good position. With both sides making errors as they attempted to run the ball, Cornish could never quite step on the pedal, Spells and Chatley making another great break on 33 only for their inside ball to be spilt and the danger cleared. In the closing minutes of the half, despite dominating possession, Cornish too often complicated play and creativity was stifled. Portsmouth's last foray of the half saw them try to go round the exiles out wide, but Robin Heymann is a fantastic defender and drove his lumpy opposite number into touch to end the half shortly afterward.

The pattern of the first half was repeated at the start of the second, this time lock Harry Somers making a huge run deep into the home half before a pass in midfield at the next phase was knocked on. With Portsmouth unable to make much headway into the Cornish half but defending well, it would need something different to break the deadlock. On 47 minutes Matt Hakes took a great angle off Dale to dash through a gap to the 22. He was supported by Devonport until Portsmouth were pinged for hands in 5 out. The visitors elected for a scrum, and with the dominance up front, went close when returning Skip Dave Theobald was held up by the posts. With Tom Lloyd on for Mike Bond at loosehead, there was no let up for Pompey, and at the reset they were powerless to stop Osei-Tutu break from the base of an advancing scrum, him smashing his way over for his second try, plenty of time still left on the clock, the conversion well struck but wide. The remaining minutes saw the quality deteriorate as both sides struggled to gain any fluency with the stop start nature of the match. Portsmouth won a kickable penalty in the closing minutes, which flew narrowly wide, but they rarely threatened the visitors 22 let alone the line. Despite their scrum dominance, Cornish still looked rusty following the break. They had plenty of opportunities in the home 22 late on, but somehow lost the ball in rucks and mauls, which puzzled everybody. A few fracas broke out as the game simmered throughout, but when the final whistle went, few could argue with the result.

Portsmouth had recently proved against leaders Totts that they will be a tougher proposition in the second half of the season than they were in the first. They have a big pack and capable half backs now back in action after injury absences, and they should clear away from the drop zone in due course.

For Cornish this felt like one of those 1-0 away wins Liverpool used to manufacture in the 70s and 80s - you may not remember the matches for much, but they came away with the points and maintained their winning habit in the league.