As the 23/24 season enters its final stages Westcombe Park continue to garner vital bonus points to secure safety in National League 2. Another losing bonus point on the road at Bury St Edmunds maintained that trend and Combe, with twenty-four, now have the highest tally in the league.

To say that this was a game of two halves is obvious from the scoring pattern. BSE led 19-0 at the half-time whistle having opened the scoring after 14 minutes when the home backs ran in a try after good line-out ball. Combe went down to 14 players after a brief contretemps and BSE took advantage, working the ball between backs and forwards, to score under the posts. The successful conversion made it 12-0.

The home team then sustained the pressure, winning a scrum deep in the Combe 22, allowing their backs to score a third try just before halftime. The conversion was successful to increase the lead to 19-0.

Combe’s travelling support were hoping for at least a score to make the long journey back a bit more bearable, but the cause was not helped by a second yellow card. Combe defended well during this period and then built some attacking pressure of their own. Westcombe Park had an attacking scrum in the BSE 22 and, with clean ball, Dan Shergold burst through to score, the Toby Wallace conversion making it 19-7. Back to a full complement the visitors kept the pressure up but resolute home defence kept Combe at bay.

As the clock was ticking down, Combe won quality possession from a line-out and made inroads down the wing. Nick Cook was on hand to finish the move with a try under the posts. Wallace kicked his second conversion to make the final score 19-14.

A week-end off for the Easter break and then Combe welcome Henley to Goddington Dene for the penultimate home encounter of the season.