Combe Stutter at Sutton

After last week’s reverse, Combe stuttered to a win away at Sutton and Epsom. They had a reasonable first half, leading 0-13 at the break, but let the hosts back into the game in the second half, and only a solitary penalty for Combe helped keep their noses in front until the finish. For those who travelled in support it was a mirror image of the week before.
Dry underfoot, grey skies, Combe faced the keen breeze blowing towards the clubhouse. They started well enough, pick and drive, pods, dominate the set scrum, retain, re-cycle, work the blindside. It was ten minutes before the backs had a run, as Ant Hitchcock and Bradley Saffery combined down the right. Sutton cleared with a penalty all the way back to Combe’s line only for Shaun Dixon to pinch their line-out and run it all the way back to the opposition twenty-two. Penalty for Combe, 0-3, James Cameron with the kick. This spurred Combe into a little more action. They won a turnover, a quick tap and go from Charlie Edwards, support, good hands moving it left, a chip through and Tommy Gray collects and touches down. No conversion, but Combe now up 0-8, twenty minutes gone. Sutton press for a short while but good tackling by Combe keeps them out, and then it is their turn to put on the pressure. Up the right, Jamie Forsyth breaks clear from a line-out on the Sutton twenty-two, more approach work from Joe Bonner, Mark Davey and Shaun Dixon, until Ant Hitchcock can exploit a gap in the defence out left and goes over for Combe’s second. No conversion, Combe up 0-13 with the end of the first half in sight.
At the turnround Combe would have the benefit of the breeze. They did enjoy an early foray into the Sutton twenty-two: Tommy Gray skipped through tackles to come close, Joe Bonner was put through only to be brought back for a forward pass, then from broken play on the half-way Sutton’s right winger, Kyren Ghumra, had a free run down the touchline to go over in the corner. 5-13. Now the home side have perked up. They have shown they can tackle and defend, they can also attack. A chip ahead into Combe’s twenty-two looks like danger, but Ant Hitchcock saves in touch, but from the line-out Sutton drive, pass, pick and go, relentlessly. It looks like Combe have held until at last Sutton spin it left, and a long pass finds their other winger, Sam Hurley, in space and over in the corner. The conversion attempt hits the upright. 10-13, and into the last quarter. After the re-start Frankie Neale nails a penalty from 30 metres out after a line-out infringement to extend a slender lead to 10-16, but Combe have their work cut out to stay ahead for the last quarter. They have not looked like scoring for a while and their defence is being severely tested. Into the closing minutes Combe do peg Sutton back into their own half. From a big Combe scrum on the hosts’ twenty-two Ant Hitchcock cannot get through, nor Tom Clarke after claiming loose ball from a Sutton line-out. Tenacious Sutton defence blunts Combe’s attacking efforts, as the visitors stutter and stagger to the final whistle.
Next week is Combe’s penultimate home fixture when Guildford visit. This is a 2.00pm kick-off, to accommodate the Six Nations game on the television in the clubhouse later in the afternoon. The final home game is on 1st April when Colchester visit.
Westcombe Park XV: F. Neale; T. Gray, A. Hitchcock, D. Bonner, B. Saffery; J. Cameron, C. Edwards; J. Stanford, J. Bonner, J. Forsyth, T. Clarke, C. O’Sullivan, M. Davey, S. Dixon, A. Campbell.
Subs : N. Porter, L. Covington, J. Munton.
Match reporter - Bruce Mackenzie