Combe overcome a young but spirited Amersham and Chiltern side with a four try blitz in the last 10 minutes

Combe were champing at the bit after a poor Christmas and New Year and two subsequent postponed games. They tore into A&C from the start and were two tries up within the blink of an eye but almost as quickly got bogged down into an error strewn game, not helped by an overly fussy referee, where neither side could put together a sustained period of pressure. However, there were Combe scores either side of half time and a second half A&C fight back but Combe eventually got their act together and romped away with four late tries for a somewhat flattering 57 – 15 victory.

Combe kicked off from the pavilion end and were quickly on the attack probing left and right, quickly there was an overlap on the left and Frankie Neale dived over to score. From the restart A&C were awarded a scrum but it was demolished by Combe. A reset with a Combe put in on half way. Combe attacked right through Frankie Neale then to Ant Hitchcock with a planned move and he was clean through between the posts. Both tries were converted by James Cameron and Combe were 14- 0 up with just 8 minutes on the clock. After this early excitement, and quite inexplicably, the game took a turn for the worse. For the next half hour we witnessed error after error and penalty after penalty with neither side putting together a sustained period of pressure – only an A&C penalty on 20 mins from Cam McDonald troubled the score keeper. As a mostly unforgettable first half came to a close Combe at last laid siege to the A&C line and from a scrum Charlie Edwards sent Alex Campbell over with a short pass. James Cameron converted to give Combe a 21 – 3 half time lead.

Combe started the second half just as they had the first and were quickly attacking the A&C line. From a scrum Combe probed left, right and through the middle. Finally, the ball went right to Frankie Neale who stood his man up and went past to score in the corner, 26 – 3 to Combe. The game briefly reverted to type but from a line out first Alex Campbell then Mark Davey made powerful runs through the heart of the A&C defence and Harry Sansbury was at hand to touch down in the corner, 31 – 3 and game over? A&C had different ideas. The A&C backs had looked dangerous all afternoon and had made a number of dangerous breaks without any success. Time to change that! From the kick off Combe ran the ball back but were penalised. From the scrum A&C attacked stretching the Combe defence and centre George Blewitt was over in the corner, converted by Cam McDonald, 31 – 10. Right from the kick off A&C kicked ahead, retrieved and attacked. Combe were at sixes and sevens and from a quick tap penalty A&C were over in the corner through number 8 Gareth Wehrle, 31 – 15 after 65 minutes. Combe decided enough was enough and upped their game – at last some continuity and control. The result was four tries in the last 10 minutes. Tom Clarke scored at close range from the back of a scrum. From a Reece Conlon drive Max Roddick broke through the centre and David Bonner was on hand to touch down between the posts. Then Frankie Neale scored his hat-trick after good work from Shaun Dixon. Finally from another destructive Combe scrum on the A&C 5m line, Mark Davey was over. Three of the tries were converted by Frankie Neale. The final score was 57 – 15.

A five point win takes Combe back to 3rd in the table with a game in hand. However, a play off place is Wimbledon’s to lose. Next week is the rescheduled home game against Westcliff.

Westcombe Park XV: F. Neale, H. Sansbury, A. Hitchcock, D. Bonner, B. Saffery, J. Cameron, C. Edwards, R. Conlon, J. Bonner, J. Forsyth, T. Clarke, C. O’Sullivan, L. Covington, S. Dixon, A. Campbell. Subs : S. Perry (55), M. Davey (55), M. Roddick (65).

Match Reporter – Franklin Pastry