Cobham defeat Old Ruts to set-up a grandstand finish in the promotion race

Cobham had some enforced changes as a consequence of unavailability and injury as did Old Rutlishians going into this match. The previous week, Old Ruts had their best win of the season, defeating third place Trinity 45-26 and were looking to improve on their 10-34 defeat to Cobham last November. Cobham again fielded 15 mini /youth within the squad and Joe Patient made his first start following his debut off the bench the previous weekend.

For the opening 20 minutes, Cobham needed to be patient as Old Ruts provided stiff defence. Cobham looked to be dominant in the scrums and there were some great displays of backline running. Saunders saved a penalty kick going into touch on their 10-metre area, which enabled Cobham to run the ball the length of the pitch, with Penfold coming into the line to make 50 metres, but there was no breakthrough on the scoreboard.

At the end of the opening quarter, the epic Dover 0 Cobham 0 result briefly came to mind, but Fin Savill ensured that will remain a one-off as he stepped inside to evade the defence and touch down in the corner (5-0). In those first twenty minutes, we had seen Jake McQuade's trademark bulldozing runs and from the restart second row Joe Harker was emulating. However, Old Ruts started to raise their game and pressure on the Cobham line eventually provided them with a penalty in front of the posts, which was successful converted (5-3).

A Saywell cross-kick found Redknapp but his kick ahead was thwarted, as was Savill's, but Cobham were now in their stride. After an Aujla charging run, Redknapp darted forward and although Harker was tackled, he was able to offload to backrow Olly Fox as Old Ruts gave up a soft try under the posts, which Redknapp converted (12-3). Within minutes, the visitors replicated their error when a relieving kick was recovered by McQuade and he saw empty space to run in a third try, with Redknapp converting once again (19-3).

Stung by those lapses, the visitors responded for the final minutes of the half, but Cobham will have been pleased their defence had avoided conceding any tries in the first half.

Shortly after the kick-off, Old Ruts came close and Cobham were only saved as the last pass went down, which they immediately took advantage of. Saywell and Penfold combined to outpace the Old Ruts defence, enabling the winger to run in from the halfway line for a score that Redknapp converted from wide out (26-3). The game looked to be moving inexorably away from Old Ruts but that's when you see the calibre of any team as they fought back.

Seven passes down the line put winger Felix Clarke over (26-8) and then, after further pressure, George Vaughan Barrett claimed a second try, which Jensen Fraser converted (26-15). Faint echoes of Eastbourne. However, Old Ruts then received a yellow card and, taking advantage of the penalty and extra man, Cobham reasserted themselves as Watson spun a long pass to Redknapp to run in for a try in the corner (31-15).

McDonagh had come on from the bench and displayed his evading skills with a darting run and Redknapp was unlucky when he was adjudged to have knocked-on close to the line, but it was a Fin Savill pass to an accelerating Penfold that gave Cobham their sixth try (36-15) as the game drew to a close. There was just time left for prop Kenny Cecil to cross for a consolation try, which Jensen converted. Final score, 36-22.

16 wins in the league from 16 matches and a week off for Cobham, but their next three matches are against the 4th, 3rd and 2nd teams in the league as the season builds to an exciting conclusion. Cobham second XV also won, away against Teddington 12-41, as they top the Surrey Alliance League with three matches left to play.

Cobham 1st XV Squad:-

1. Ryan Aujla

2. Joe Patient

3. Ben Joyce

4. Joe Harker

5. Hugh Farmer

6. George Spires

7. Olly Fox

8. Jake McQuade

9. Saunders (Capt.)

10. Connor Dellapina

11. Charley Redknapp

12. Fin Savill

13. Taylor Burnett

14. Rory Penfold

15. Wilf Saywell

Substitutes:

16. Lewis Joyce

17. Marcus Watson

18. Inis McDonagh

Scorers:

Tries: Savill, Fox, McQuade, Redknapp, Penfold (2)

Conversions: Redknapp (3)

Click here for the Match Gallery.