This was probably Combe’s best performance in two years. Henley Hawks still went away with the five points that keeps them at the very top of National League Two (S) and Combe still occupy a place at the wrong end of the table but the casual observer amongst the sparse crowd at Goddington Dene, Orpington would have been hard pushed to know which was which for most of this game.
Those a bit late on parade would have missed the pressure that Combe embarked on from the outset and after just three minutes, fast ball, a penetrative run and grub kick by Gideon Roux, and a lightening run down the right-wing from Kieran Leeper put Combe five points to the good.
Henley’s position is not built on sand and having established position deep in Combe’s 22 they spurned the opportunity of several penalties in pursuit of the fifth point. They scored two tries and a conversion but nearly 20 minutes separated them because of some awesome Combe defence and this at a time when they were reduced to fourteen as a result of an accidental high tackle.
The first Henley try after less than ten minutes was scored and converted by fly-half Tom Allen operating behind a pack that was meeting its equal in the Combe pack and not making much progress. The second was from the winger Christoph Bart having to operate in a similar manner.
It had not been entirely 30 minutes of unmitigated pressure on the Combe line but they had had real difficulty in completely relieving the pressure.
After the second try Combe re-established some balance and it was no real surprise when second-row Jon Wright crossed the line and Combe were just two points adrift at 10—12 the score at the break.
Given what had gone on before Combe made a slow start to the second-half and Henley’s substitute front-row Alex Penny crossed with too much ease, extending the visitors lead to seven points.
Four minutes later Combe’s full-back Luke Giles stepped up to kick a penalty like a rocket from only just inside Henley’s half. That shook the Hawks and they took the first opportunity to regain a measure of control with a penalty from close in from Tom Allen six minutes later.
Another six minutes and Henley were enjoying the biggest gap between the sides in the entire match when Christoph Bart crossed for his second try to secure the bonus point and Tom Allen converted to make the Henley lead 27—13.
Earlier in the season this would have been the moment that Combe melted away. But not this day. Three minutes later Luke Giles went down the left-wing to score a try and again kicked magnificently to convert.
Again Henley was chastened. It took them nearly ten minutes to earn another respite with another try, this time from substitute back-row Bart Carson.
The last ten minutes was a galvanised Combe. Just three minutes after Henley’s fifth try Zane Winslade, having made the initial break-through, bundled over and Luke Giles added the points and Combe had their first bonus point.
With just five points standing between Combe and much greater things Henley were very much on the back foot and it was a very nervous team that lasted out the final few minutes.
Henley got their five points and Combe two bonus points but Combe got much more than that from this match—a belief in themselves that can only stand them in good-stead for the rest of the season.

There would have been half-a-dozen candidates for Man of the Match for Westcombe Park but Zane Winslade secured the result by proportional representation based on 80-minutes of unmitigated effort to the cause. Luke Giles and his 12 points would clearly be in the mix and Gideon Roux, as always is there and the front-row and the subs all played their part while all the forwards gave Henley an uncomfortable afternoon in the set pieces.
It would be invidious to keep naming players who punched above their weight, suffice to say three or four backs showed out considering either their inexperience at this level or past showings.

Westcombe Park travel to Lydney this week, never an easy trip, before returning to Goddington Dene for the home fixture against Richmond on 9th October.(k.o.3p.m.)

Westcombe Park: Luke Giles; Kieran Leeper, Niki Davies, Nathan Lambden, Graham Purdy; Anthony Braithwaite, Gideon Roux; Ben McKinnell, Hamish Barton, Jordan Mitchell, Dave Watkins, Jon Wright, Cliff Street, Dean Sole, Zane Winslade.

Match Reporter: Mike Attewell