There was a period shortly after Combe had taken a 25-5 lead early in the second half when the home supporters’ nerves jangled that wee bit. Harpenden had come back into the game and the home side couldn’t get out of their own 22 despite having the strong wind at their backs. Harps duly got their try which was converted to make it 25-12 and Combe need to regain the control they had shown in the first half if they were to close out the game. That it took until the last five minutes underlines the fight that the visitors put up with their defence resisting all that Combe could throw at them.

Combe started in sprightly fashion with forwards and backs combining well. A pattern emerged which was evident throughout the game; the forwards with Josh Smith, Raf Dutta and Nick Cook leading the way making yardage on the contact line and the backs, taking advantage of this, were showing pace and precision in their moves. That the line-out was working well with player of the match Callum Harris showing a welcome degree of accuracy the whole game was an added bonus.

It was one of these moves which pulled the Harps defence out of shape on the left and a three-man overlap was created which full back Toby Wallace exploited to notch Combe’s first which was converted coolly by Jacob Buckley. Kieran Thompson was next on the scoresheet on 17 minutes, the wing scoring after the forwards had made deep inroads into enemy territory. Again, Buckley slotted the conversion to make it 14-0.

It remained that way until the 33rd minute. Harpenden secured a fine attacking position with a great 50/22 and they took full advantage when powerful blindside Sione Funaki peeled off the driving maul to touch down. The conversion was missed. It only took a minute or so for Combe to hit back. Captain Cook burst through and fed Wallace whose mazy run made further ground for centre Rob White to finish the move with a try. With the conversion kicked Combe led 21-5 at half-time.

Cook scored early in the second period for the try bonus point finishing off a powerful driving maul which made over 20 metres of ground. With Buckley converting to make it 28-5 the game might have seemed out of reach but then came that slight wobble when Harpenden brought their own game to the fore. Several scrums in the Combe 22 kept the pressure up and it was from a powerful surge from one of these the Harps number 8 Michael Goode picked up to score. Centre Oliver Johnson converted to make it 28-12.

Two tries in the last five minutes put a fine degree of gloss on the score-line for Westcombe Park. The first came from a line out with Keiran Thompson dotting down on the blind-side and the second, and debut score, for flanker Kwesi Effina-Williams.

Another bonus point win for Combe and with Shelford tripping up at Hertford there is now a gap developing at the top. A new trip for Combe as Saturday’s opponents are Bedford Athletic. No chance to relax as Bedford put over 100 points past Hertford earlier in the season.