Brilliant!

It seems Canterbury 2s have stayed in our league (Invicta 1 which we are newly promoted into) to have an easy season and win all their games. They have played 14 and won 14. Only 6 teams have scored any points against them and they have kept clean sheets in the other 8. They have scored 460 and conceded 41. They have won all their games but one by more the 30 or so points. I have to say that they are a very good, well drilled and talented team.

The weeks selection was horrendous. Many players were unavailable and we lost even more on the day due to injury. On Saturday we had 15 players and a few playing out of position namely Birch at 9 and Connor Jarrold at 14. I have to say though I looked at the team and saw a group of very good players and despite murmours of "Canterbury look awesome" and "Aren't they smashing everyone" the Combe spirit began to settle in.

The warm up was quick and fierce but was nothing compared to the first ten minutes of the game. We took the game straight to them playing up hill on the park pitch and they really didnt know what had hit them. This fantastic period of pressure almost saw Garry O'Dwyer go over in the corner but he was caught inches from the line. The rest of the half continued in much the same vein with the forwards beating Canterburys pack with sheer aggression and grit. We lost John Candlish after ten minutes and nicked "syndrome" from the fours who fitted in well. The half finished 12 - 0 to Canterbury with us letting in a soft try and failing to stop Canterburys well drilled rolling maul. The score certainly didnt reflect the game.

Down Hill second half and our Pack continued their dominance. We formed a fantastic rolling maul gaining ten metres, Billy Bignall broke off from it and charged another ten before off-loading to Asbo who then passed onto the backs and the ball went wide with Ryan Hackett scoring in the corner, it was the try of the season.

Unfortunately Canterbury came back and our penalties began to mount up leading to them gaining territory and eventually points. To much great rugby was played to mention it all but the man of the match award could have gone to all fifteen players. The game ended 22 - 5. But what a game.

This is our first season in this very testing league but if we continue to play like this we are going to finish well and can think seriously about mounting a title challenge next year.

The team. Bignall, R.Halstead, M.Halstead, Padgeham, Candlish (syndrome 10), Sheridan, Stevens, Valsler, Birch, Crosby,Hackett, Barnes, Jarrold, G.ODwyer, Bright.