Extra's run out of Extra's

We'll, at selection we had a squad of 22, that then became 21 then on the day 19 but only 18 came, we turned up on a gloomy afternoon with a 3pm kick off confirmed, we were then told that it was 2.30, then 3.00 and finally settled on 2.45, the rain started, then stopped, then started again and finally we were treated to a downpour of biblical proportions. All in all a very weird day, we then lost JJ Snape, our only tight head to a dislocated shoulder in the warm up which proved only to be a precursor to what was to prove a very damaging day for Westcombe Park.

This league has rules which don't penalise a team for going uncontested but as we have seen in the past, this generally makes for a very dull affair where the pack have little to do a scrum time and generally find it difficult to get into the game so it was much appreciated when Richmond kindly offered us a prop so the game could feature some competitiveness up front.

We started very well indeed taking the game to Richmond who were largely on the back foot and having to defend very well to keep the Combe pack at bay, the opening exchanges showed that this was going to be an evenly contested game but Combe couldn't quite break down the excellent Richmond defence.

No more than 10 minutes into the game and we lost our second player to a season ending torn bicep, Damien Reilly had been playing some excellent rugby recently and was certainly in the mix for a 1st XV call up, we reshuffled the pack and stuck at it.
Within 5 minutes, we then lost Josh Livett to a torn hamstring followed closely by Mark Nimmo to a badly twisted ankle.

We wish all of the injured payers a speedy recovery.

With barely 20 minutes of the match completed, we had lost 4 players to injury, used all of our replacements, were now playing several out of positions but were still competing well.
Half time couldn't have come quick enough and there was relief to be on 15-0 down at half time given the circumstances.

The second period started much the same as the 1st with Combe dominating the early exchanges but as time wore on, without any further replacements available fatigue was starting to take it's toll, particularly as the pitch was getting increasing heavy. Incredibly, we managed to get ourselves into the Richmond 22 where after several phases, scrum half James askew saw an opportunity and burrowed through a crowd of players to touch down under the posts, with Phillip Loyden converting this ten brought the score to 15-7, we then lost a 5th player to injury which ultimately proved decisive, this time the prop that Richmond had kindly lent us had to retire with a damaged shoulder and we therefore had to complete the remainder of the game with 14 players and uncontested scrums, in fact you could say we had 13 players as Lewis Williams who had been off work all week with illness had given his all, he had gone above and beyond the call of duty but heroically stayed on to help his team mates out wherever he could as there simply were no other replacements. Cheers Taff, much appreciated!. It was however during this period that Richmond put the game beyond us, a mistake on halfway gifted possession to the opposition who raced through unchallenged and then followed up with another try where our the numerical advantage was exploited.
The score was now 27-7 but the lads stuck at it and it was Combe that had the last word when Joe Simpson spotted space out wide and attempted an audacious cross field kick, the kick despite torrential rain and howling wind was inch perfect allowing Joe Birch to race through and collect the ball, he then beat 2 covering defenders to score in the corner for a well deserved try.
Final score 27-12

Each and every one of the lads were fantastic today, each and every one stepped up and showed courage, commitment and determination right up to the final whistle.

Next week see's the X-men take on Sidcup in the quarter final of the Kent Cup, with mounting injuries to key players and the Kent Cup rules preventing a large number players being selected, this weeks selection is going to be challenging to say the least, but if we get a squad as fired up and committed as they were today, I can promise that we will really give Sidcup a game.