The season has now turned the corner past the half-way stage and Westcombe Park’s winning streak continues with another all-round team performance. Combe had secured the try bonus point by the break, but Sudbury did not give up the fight and outscored the visitors in the second period 12-10 securing their own bonus point in the process.

Westcombe Park started strongly and scored their first try after 6 minutes through flanker Harry Hudson finishing from close range following a dozen or so phases in the Sudbury 22. Toby Wallace kicked the extra points. Two minutes later Sam Rhodes added a second. There was a break from halfway, the ball went through several pairs of hands and Rhodes cut back on the angle to score. Wallace again converted.

The home side were next on the scoreboard. A good attack stretched the Combe defence, and, with a swerving run Number 8, Henry Cowling was over for the try converted by Sam Rust. With 30 minutes on the clock, Combe’s captain, Nick Cook, then scored a couple of tries. The first came after a quick tap penalty, the ball was driven a couple of times and Cook finished the move off. Wallace converted to make it 7-21. A couple of minutes later Cook hopped and muscled his way through three tackles to get the bonus point try. With Wallace’s fourth conversion the lead stretched to 7-28.
Keiran Thompson then got in on the scoring act after slick hands by the back-line opened space for the winger to score out wide. The try scoring continued this time for Sudbury from a fine solo effort by centre Jake Sumner. The successful conversion made it 14-33 at the half-time whistle.

Sudbury narrowed the gap further after 8 minutes of the second half. Sudbury’s full back Jasper Boydell who had a great game broke clear and put his winger Ryan Steer into space for the try wide on the left. Combe’s prop Jack Cowman was next on the scoresheet in this high scoring game after Combe had made deep inroads into Sudbury territory from a good break down the right. 19-38 for the visitors. Combe’s sixth try came from Joe Cooper after 60 minutes. Combe had driven one line-out all of 20 metres and then drove a second from just under 10 metres out to make the try almost a formality.

But Sudbury were to have the last word with a well-deserved try for Boydell who topped off his excellent day by finishing in the corner after Sudbury had been camped on the Combe line for a number of phases. Final score 26-43 and 10 tries in all.

Another win on the road for Westcombe Park to continue their winning streak and a try bonus point for Sudbury who competed well throughout. Next Saturday sees the last home game before Christmas with neighbours Medway the visitors, kick off 2pm.