Combe blitz Gravesend

After a tentative start, Combe delivered, blowing the visitors away with seven tries and a handful of successful kicks. Gravesend were on the scoreboard but never really threatened, and they are now beginning to look doomed.

Winter conditions again, but little wind, and mainly dry. Bitter cold and a glutinous pitch. A fair crowd in, after a good lunch, braving the elements.

Combe were off to a hesitant start. The referee was laying down the law early, and both sides were winning or earning penalty awards. Gravesend’s first aim at goal went wide, Combe’s first effort from James Cameron hit the upright, but his second from closer range soon after went over. Gravesend’s immediate reply was a penalty which they put into the corner looking for a line-out and drive over to use their advantage of a heavier pack. It worked. Jamie Forsyth forced his way over and the visitors took the lead, 3-5. Into the second quarter, a second penalty for James Cameron, then Combe scored a classy classic. Frankie Neale gathered in his own 22, ran right, feinted, a pass to Tommy Gray on his outside, back inside to Josh Penney, who went over and round to the posts. Cameron converts. At only the second scrum of the game, Gravesend have the ball, but Sam Randle intercepts and trots in from half-way. Cameron converts. 20-5. An audacious drop-goal from Scott Curley on Combe’s ten yard line might have done himself some damage, but it did add to the visitors’ score. Combe’s reply? Matt Poole robbed the ball, and charged upfield. The ball is quickly out and Frankie Neale finds himself in space and over. Cameron converts. Just time before the interval for the visitors’ Jason Thomasen-Hick to knock over a penalty to make it 27-11 at half-time.

Gravesend had a large pack, but there were only two scrums in the first half, and Combe were easily holding their own. Combe nicked the odd line-out, and were getting a better deal at the breakdown. With good possession they should pile it on as Gravesend were starting to look a little ragged. It took a while for the scoreboard to start moving again: Combe stole a line-out, Luke Bellinger and Shaun Dixon led the charge upfield. Tommy Gray made a break up the centre, and found Shaun Dixon on hand to score by the posts. Cameron converted. A rare visit to Combe’s 22, Gravesend attack, but Frankie Neale intercepts. To allow one interception may be a misfortune, but to allow two sounds like carelessness. Frankie Neale is clean away for a score by the posts, allowing James Cameron yet another conversion. 41-11. Into the last quarter. From broken play in Combe’s left corner, Gravesend’s James Newman finds himself with a run to the line and trundles in for a try. Bradley Smith converted. Combe’s strength this season is to finish strongly, which indeed they do. After another multi-phase build up in the opposition 22, Alex Weighton is slipped an inside ball to score by the posts, the try converted by Bradley Bateup. Into the dying minutes, Combe are still looking for more. They pounded the Gravesend line, and with penalties also awarded, and the visitors’ defence at sixes and sevens, James Lindfield came close, Reece Conlon came close, but the score came from James Snape, who went over from close range in the corner. 53-18, final whistle. A convincing win for Combe, a bonus point, and plenty of action for the scoreboard operators to keep themselves warm.

Next week Combe travel to Shelford and the week after Hertford visit. Both these will be sterner tests.

Westcombe Park XV: F. Neale; T. Gray, J. Penney, D. Bonner, S. Randle; J. Cameron, R. Cattanach; M. Poole, T. Smith, R. Conlon, A. Weighton, T. Clarke, J. Lindfield, L. Covington, S. Dixon.
Subs: J. Snape, L. Bellinger, B. Bateup.

Match reporter – Bruce Mackenzie.