However, that is precisely what we got as we were treated to an exciting game of end to end rugby. In patches Combe showed their true pedigree with fluid inter-passing and offloading between forwards and backs being a feature but were contained for long periods by dogged Colchester resilience and spirit.

Combe are notorious slow starters but on this occasion were ahead after barely a minute. From their own kick-off Combe won back the ball, Reece Conlon took it on, then to Sam Randle cutting inside from the blindside and Shaun Dixon was over. James Cameron converted, 0 – 7 to Combe. Colchester came back strongly with the wind at their backs and for a while had Combe pinned back in their own half. Their reward of a solitary penalty by Dave Higgins was scant reward for their exertions. Having survived the early pressure Combe seemed to move up a gear and started throwing the ball around. Slick hands, good running lines and forward-back interplay were repulsed time and again by staunch Colchester defence. But eventually this pressure told and with Colchester a man down for 10 mins following a reckless tip tackle Combe scored twice with Frankie Neale going over in the corner after 17 mins converted by James Cameron and Tommy Gray scoring on 23 mins, 3 – 19 to Combe. Combe continued to exert pressure both in the tight and open play but couldn’t convert their possession into points. Then against the run of play Colchester attacked from a scrum on half way through Owen Herbert who shrugged off two tackles to put in Damien Brambley for a try which was converted by Dave Higgins, 10 – 19 with 5 mins to half time. Combe responded immediately with a try from Ant Hitchcock after a catch and drive from half way, converted by James Cameron, 10 – 26. Colchester came again and from a Combe line out on their goal line Robert Heath was quickest to react to a Combe deflection to score. 15 – 26 at half time.

The 3rd quarter of the game showed considerable endeavour from both sides without any clear cut chances. The deadlock was broken on the hour after Sam Randle burst through the centre to score after a Combe scrum 10 metres out. Once again James Cameron obliged with the conversion, 15 – 33 and Combe were surely home and dry. Cometh the hour, cometh the substitutions, but without any real impact on the game. Errors were now creeping in due to numb hands and fatigue. Also tempers and fuses started to shorten. Combe were carded for obstruction and were now on the back foot, on the wrong side of the referee and under some pressure. Eventually Colchester capitalised on a loose ball from a Combe scrum and after a kick and chase scrum half Brett Cutbush was over in the corner, 20 – 33 with 5 mins to go. Combe regrouped and went again with Frankie Neale and the forwards to the fore. Eventually Matt Poole crashed over from short range (it had stretched to at least 10 metres by the time we left the bar!). The ever reliable James Cameron slotted home the conversion with barely a minute remaining.

The final score was 20 – 40 in favour of Combe and the 5 points puts us back in 3 rd place in the league after “the Geese” beat “G-Force”. Next up are “the Geese” at Goddington Dene on 19th March with a supporter’s lunch. Let’s get cooking!

Westcombe Park XV: F. Neale, T. Gray, A. Hitchcock, D. Bonner, S. Randle, J. Cameron, R. Cattenach, R. Conlon, J. Bonner, M. Poole, T. Clarke, K. Coulter, M. Davey, L. Covington, S. Dixon. Subs : R. Cooke, J. Snape, J. Davies.

Match reporter – Franklin Pastry.