Combe are winning in the rain

For the second week running it was raining, and for the second week running Combe emerged from the mud and mayhem winners. However it was their defensive display ‘what won it’ after early points on the board. A tight and fiercely contested contest.
Rain duly arrived before kick-off and lasted throughout. Sticky and stodgy underfoot and the ball the proverbial bar of soap. Hang onto your skills and test your fitness. Combe began as if they meant business, and were awarded an early penalty opportunity for James Cameron front of posts. 0-3. If you were late arriving you would have missed a cracker of a try at the re-start. Combe fielded deep in their own twenty-two, all the backs handled, Cameron, to White, to Deschamps, to Sema and last to Dan Hamilton on half way who still had some work to do to reach the line by the posts, but had out-paced the home defence. One could almost hear Cliff Morgan saying ‘oh, this is marvellous!’ End-to end. A beazer of a try. James Cameron added the conversion and Combe were up 0-10, with barely ten minutes gone. Guildford were having trouble getting out of their own half, their line-kicking going awry, but eventually with some possession put together and in attack mode left-winger Alex Jordan cut back through Combe’s defence to score by the posts offering an easy conversion for Ben King. 7-10. Not for long. Combe had the upper hand at the scrum, and put on a big drive from the line-out. James Lindfield came close, Charlie O’Sullivan too. With second phase ball, Will Robinson now at outside-half squeezed through to score by the posts and then convert. 7-17. Ten minutes before half-time. Time for Will Robinson to kick well for position and for both Combe’s wingers to have a run, but no changes on the scoreboard.
Second half, still raining. It’s becoming attritional. Clearance kicks back and forth, mistakes, cold hands, penalties, scrums, spilled ball. Still gripping stuff, but stalemate. The wind had changed, and the home side now had the momentum. Combe had to perform their defensive duties, which they did. Into the last quarter Guildford had just a penalty to show for their efforts, and in the closing minutes pounded the Combe line looking for an equalising score, but Combe held out with brave and disciplined defence. From a line-out drive Guildford were over but held up, the five-metre scrum was held. It was a tight, close finish but Combe clung on for a precious win.
Next week Combe are at home to Tunbridge Wells, kick-off 2.00pm.
Westcombe Park XV: W. Robinson; D. Hamilton, C. Deschamps, R. White, S. Sama; J. Cameron, E. Durkin; N. Porter, J. Bonner, J. Forsyth, T. Clarke, L. Delderfield, T. Sullivan, J. Lindfield, C. O’Sullivan.
Bench: C. Springer, S. Pursell.
Match reporter - Bruce Mackenzie.