Combe brave cold to beat Colchester

The game was a bit scrappy with often more stop than start, and in the gathering gloom it was difficult to grasp what was happening all the time. Still Combe stuck to their task and finished ahead for a bonus point win. Once more the result started with a dominant pack at the set-piece, although Combe did not have it all their own way. Some line-outs were lost, and a few turnovers conceded, as well as penalties. Poor passing and lack of accuracy did for the home team as well.

Combe were straight into action and the opposition half winning a kickable penalty for James Cameron in front of the posts in the first minutes. 0-3. Colchester claimed the re-start, and pushed Combe back towards their own line. A good scrum from Combe, but poor clearance saw Colchester run it back and with Combe caught napping at the ruck in front of the posts, the Colchester scrum-half, Matt Wadling, scooted through to the posts. Try converted by James Crozier. 7-3 after ten minutes. Combe’s response was immediate. Quick line-out ball, up the middle with Ant Hitchcock and Shaun Dixon, Frankie Neale over in the left corner. No conversion. 7-8. Colchester were up for it: a turnover, another run by their elusive winger Damian Brambley, but not for the first nor last time poor passing let them down. On the half hour Combe attacked down the left side, quick line-out ball, initial thrust from Nathan Thomas, quick re-cycling, and Ant Hitchcock was free to go over out on the right. No conversion. 7-13. One moment Combe were pegged back in their twenty-two, then the next after a huge clearing kick from Frankie Neale, they were pounding the Colchester line, but no way through. With the interval looming Colchester gave it another go, worked an overlap, but the final pass went nowhere, then again poor passing brought a promising move to nothing. A penalty kick from wide out was pushed past the post. For some reason Combe tried to run it back from the goal line. Thankfully the half-time whistle went to save any embarrassment.

It’s alright for the players, they are into the warm. The spectators are left out in the cold wondering how this game will pan out. The opening minutes of the second half are scrappy, with loose ball, and fumbled ball, but with the help of a penalty Combe have a line-out in the opposition half, win yards on the subsequent drive, and with just about everyone having a bash, the ball bounces free, and Isaac Ajayi is underneath the pile to claim the try. No conversion. 7-18. Combe come back for more as Dan Fox, Bradley Bateup, and Tommy Gray take up the challenge. Combe win a series of scrums on Colchester’s five-metre line. Alex Campbell goes close three times. At the fourth scrum, the referee has had enough and awards a penalty try, easily converted by James Cameron. 7-25, but with twenty minutes on the clock. Colchester are not finished yet. They claim the re-start, they put Combe under pressure, and again work an overlap. This time the passing is accurate and the dangerous Damian Brambley has a little more room in which to work. He is over in the corner and James Crozier bangs over the touchline conversion. 14-25. Ten minutes to go. Colchester have some momentum now. Another run by Brambley from broken play comes to nothing, again with poor passing. It’s almost chaos. Combe are still dominant at the set-piece, their drive from a line-out makes twenty yards, but this time it is Colchester who benefit from inaccurate passing. One more effort. Combe’s scrum, in the Colchester half, Alex Campbell goes blind and has Nathan Thomas in support, who this week only has to break clear and run in from the twenty-two. James Cameron converts. 14-32. Almost full time. Colchester finish close on Combe’s line but one more wayward pass is intercepted and Combe can clear. Final whistle and a rush inside to the warm.

Next week Combe are at home to Southend Saxons. The following week, 17th December, they entertain Tonbridge Juddians, who are currently top of the table. With the top four sides this week all enjoying bonus point wins there has been no change in their placings, so all to play for when Judds visit and after the Christmas and New Year break.

Westcombe Park XV: F. Neale; N. Thomas, A. Hitchcock, B. Bateup, T. Gray; J. Cameron, J. Munton; N. Porter, J. Bonner, J. Forsyth, T. Clarke, C. O’Sullivan, I. Ajayi, S. Dixon, A. Campbell.
Subs: S. Perry, D. Fox, B. Saffery.

Match reporter - Bruce Mackenzie.