It is sometimes tempting to put the cause of a defeat down to a poor performance from one of the sides but this was not the case in this game where Maidenhead romped away to a 35-8 lead with only 15 minutes left for Combe to salvage something. That they did secure a bonus point is a credit to the level of fight the visitors put up in the closing stages.

Combe had taken an early lead from a fine 40 metre Cameron Hancock penalty when the home side had been spotted killing the ball. That lead disappeared quickly when Maidenhead were awarded a penalty try and WPRFC a yellow card for a deliberate knock on when a home try looked certain. Next Maidenhead struck down the left to go 14-3 up and the game was just under 30 minutes old when Josh Smith struck at the back of a rolling maul for Combe’s first try.

But any hopes that the visitors could narrow the gap before half time foundered when Maidenhead took advantage of a period of broken play to break away and score a try which was converted. To add salt to the wound the home team were down to 14 players at that point.

The second half was only 4 minutes old when Maidenhead’s numbers were once more depleted due to a second yellow card. There followed a long injury stoppage and the game resumed without any real flow and despite a deal of huff and puff from Combe it was Maidenhead who struck twice to put the game out of reach at 35-8.

With 10 minutes left the visitors finally put some moves together. First Matt Harrison scored following a very dominant Combe scrum and a failed Maidenhead interception. Hancock’s conversion was successful. Next Smith got his second after a lengthy period of Combe possession. The try was converted.

Maidenhead maintained the lead at 38-22 kicking a penalty for a scrum infringement with 4 minutes to go, putting the losing bonus point out of reach. Combe’s captain Nick Cook, happily recovered from his earlier injury, completed the scoring from the back of a Combe scrum going forward at a rate of knots.

A bonus point for Westcombe Park was at least something on a day when the form book throughout the league was for the most part ripped up. For Maidenhead a fine victory for their young guns to celebrate.

Next Saturday Hertford who also lost on Saturday come to Goddington Dene and both sides will no doubt wish to make amends.