Cobham hold out for tenth straight victory this season

njmelton77
Dec 1
3 min read

Cobham saluted their stalwart prop Ben Joyce as he led the team out to celebrate his 200th first XV cap. You have to go back to 16th April 2011 and Cobham's final match of that season against Tunbridge Wells for his debut. Director of Rugby Billy Davison was playing second row in that match and scored a rare try! Many congratulations to Ben. With several players unavailable Marcus Watson made his first start of the season at fly half and Nick Draper was on the bench, looking to make his debut.

Cobham's last home fixture against Hove was in January and was a resounding 60-5 win. This was a very different Hove and the final scoreline does not tell the full story. Indeed, but for some outstanding individual opportunities grasped by Cobham this would have been an entirely different result. Essentially, Cobham pulled this game out of the bag.

Hove had the possession and territorial advantage at the start and it needed Jake McQuade to announce his return to the squad with some forceful runs and tackles. The first try for Cobham came out of nowhere, when a box kick was retrieved in the twenty-two by Fin Savill. He called for the mark, took a quick tap kick, evaded tackles for thirty metres and then slipped a pass to full back Wilf Saywell who ran in from the halfway line to score. Winger, Charley Redknapp took his first opportunity as the nominated goal kicker and converted (7-0).

Hove resumed the offensive in the Cobham half and achieved a penalty close to the posts, which they opted to run but were held-up close to the line. Picking up a loose ball in midfield, McQuade blind passed to Davison, then Redknapp and finally second row O'Leary. Saunders picked up possession close to the touchline and, after spotting a gap in the defence, ran in for what looked an easy try that Redknapp converted (14-0).

There could have been a third try when Louis Porter snatched a loose ball, which sped down the line for Saywell to put Redknapp in at the corner but the referee blew for an infringement. Reprieved, Hove took the ball down field and from a scrum in the Cobham twenty-two, centre Leo Robertson provided his fellow centre Toby Gale with the perfect pass for him to storm over, which flay half Jordi Southgate converted (14-7).

That score reinvigorated Hove. A pick-up from the base of the scrum by number eight Oliver Wills, saw him gain fifty metres before Saywell and Saunders brought him down. With penalties increasing and a yellow card for Savill, Hove had the opportunity to narrow the gap with a penalty kick but it hit the post. Down to fourteen men and with Hove pressurising, it was a relief for Cobham to hear the half-time whistle.

Three minutes into the second half and a successful penalty kick for Hove narrowed the gap to 14-10. Wiles then broke clear, which needed a Louis Porter tackle from behind to bring him down. Another Hove penalty in front of the posts wasn't successful but for ten minutes it was incessant attacks from the visitors, relieved when Davison picked up a loose ball in the goal area and passed to Saywell who first ran and then kicked for territory. It was probably that period of play that finally dictated the result of the match but it didn’t feel like it at the time, as there was genuine excitement and frustration.

Murphy came off the bench for his first rugby of the season and as the game converted to football, as Harker dribbled the ball up field, Murphy was denied a try on his return. Burnett collected a drop out from under the posts, before Saunders fed Redknapp to run in down the wing and convert his own try, meaning Cobham finally had the two-score difference they needed (21-10). Draper got his first cap in the closing minutes and although both sides received yellow cards, no further points were added. Final score 21-10.

It was certainly Cobham's toughest game of the season, but they remain top of the league and a good warm-up before going up against third placed Trinity this weekend.

Cobham 1st XV Squad:-

1. Chris Lippiatt (Capt.)

2. Louis Wiliby

3. Ben Joyce**

4. Joe Harker

5. Will O’Leary

6. Louis Porter

7. Tom Davison

8. Jake McQuade

9. Ryan Saunders

10. Marcus Watson

11. Charley Redknapp