'Combe show spirit to overcome Worthing

Last season, the x-men showed on numerous occasions why we should play the 2nd half 1st, on countless occasions turning a seemingly lost cause into a positive result and this match was no different.

Playing up the slope in the 1st half, there was some good work but never eally threatened the Worting line until the last 5 or 6 minutes of the half. Worthing power, pace and organisation told, and those watching could be forgiven in thinking the X-Men were going to be on the receiving end of a right royal humping, some had seen enough after 20 minutes and elected to go an watch a different game. However once we had given our opponents a 22-3 lead, some excellent play saw us score in the corner against the slope which was subsequently converted, this final action of the half gave the lads a massive lift and meant that we would be we starting the 2nd half only 12 points behind with the slope in our favour.

Worthing started with the same power and pace showed in the 1st half but were ultimately shut out and failed to add to their tally which was as enjoyable as the actual result itself.

It was the 'Combe boys that upped their game, and started to dominate proceedings, excellent territorial kicking and a belief that we could get something from the game. Slowly but surely, we worked our way down the pitch where Worthing started to defend desperately, conceding several penalties in the process. Dan Hamilton crossed after some excellent work in the loose that released him out wide to make one of his trademark mazy runs and go in under the posts and the xtra's were added, Phil Loyden took his chances at goal well under pressure ensuring that the scoreboard continued to tick over in Combe's favour. With only 2 minutes remaining another penalty in front of the posts gave Loyden the opportunity to secure the lead for the very 1st time, everyone was relieved to see the pressure kick sail between the posts giving the points that saw the X-Men secure a 23-22 victory.

Worthing are a very good side, hard lads with a few man mountains in the pack!, they really were a fantastic opponent and were understandably pretty upset at the final result yet appreciative of the work the home side had put in to secure the victory, their power in the forwards and expansive game was at times a joy to watch but ultimately Combe's excellent defence and 2nd half game plan proved to be their undoing.

James Catlin was fantastic at 8, confident when carrying and always made yards, not one missed tackle and a great example and leader on the day. Mark Deaville was clearly the stand out lock from either side and despite Worthing's superiority in the scrum, the experience and skill shown by these two ensured that we were still able to compete and both will surely be giving the 1st XV selectors some decisions to make this week. Josh Maybank was at his tenacious best, great work ethic an another leading by example and James Askew's vision and distribution at 9 kept us moving forward.

Well done on a fantastic turnaround guy's, but we must start the game next weekend with the same intensity etc that we showed for the last 50 minutes against Worthing.

Squad

Liam
Moon
Conlon
Deaville
Taylor
Dowding
Farris
Catlin
Askew
Kayton
Simpson
Loyden
Payne
Hamilton
Maybank L
Maybank J
McDermott
Mitchell
Chatley

Scorers
Try's
Simpson
Hamilton

Conversions
Simpson
Loyden

Penalties
Simpson
Loyden 2