Combe Caught at Clifton

Westcombe Park had the better of the play at Clifton for most of the first half but could not maintain the momentum and in the end went down by ten points and failed to get any bonus points so dropped
behind in the race for survival in National League Two (S) writes Mike Attewell (in absentia).
Shelford did no better, but Canterbury put up a good fight away to Henley and got two bonus points in the process, so extending their lead over Combe.
Combe took the lead twice in the first-half but significantly and, perhaps, ominously only held it for a couple of minutes on each occasion.
Paul Trendell slotted a penalty, early, but on five minutes Clifton was back on terms when his opposite number, Chris Ashwin did the same.
Those opening minutes with a flurry of activity was the only scoring until the end of the first quarter when Clifton’s scrum-half Matt Britton scored a try, converted by Ashwin.
A few minutes elapsed before Tom Hockedy got Combe’s first try and with the Paul Trendell conversion Combe were back on terms 10—10.
Combe took the lead for the second time when Tom Hockedy scored his and their second try in the 34th minute but Combe could not maintain their lead for more than a couple of minutes when centre Andy Bell went over. Neither try was converted so the teams reached the interval tied on 15 all.
The second half was largely dominated by Clifton when in the 50th minute Britton scored his second try which wasn’t converted but Ashwin added a penalty eight minutes later to open an eight point lead.
Another ten minutes and full-back Sam Smee scored Clifton’s bonus point try, that with the conversion gave Clifton a 15 point lead, but although there was fifteen minutes left there was little chance of Combe getting back from here.
Zane Winslade did add a try a couple of minutes from the end but it was, of course, too little too late for Combe and was their first set-back for some weeks.
They have a chance to get back on track on Saturday at Goddington Dene when they take on another team in the zone, Shelford. Combe’s season could hinge on this game.

Combe’s team at Clifton: Luke Giles; Kieron Leeper, Jon Coleman, Niki Davies (43m. Russell Tumath), Tom Hockedy; Charles Edwards, Paul Trendell; (67m. Toby May), Ben McKinnell, Hamish Barton, Jordan Mitchell; Jon Wright, Gavin Wallis; James Farris (42m. Zane Winslade), Charlie Hopkins (15m. Dale Bellinger), Reid Bradford. Replacement: Tim Kavanagh.