HAC RFC 0-41 Westcombe Park RFC Park RFC

With a score line of 3-0 to Westcombe Park at half time it looked as if the visiting supporters would be starved of the free scoring experience that the Goddington Dene side have been serving up this season. The final score of 41-0 underlines just how well Combe played in the second period coming to terms with the poor weather conditions and exploiting a tiring HAC side. That this was Combe's second result of the season which kept the opposition scoreless since the opener against KCS also shows that they are not only a dry weather outfit relying on pacy backs but can battle in the mud too.

The only score in that first half came from the boot of Matt Harrison after 24 minutes. Combe had put together a sequence of around 14 phases,with the pack showing both patience and skill, when HAC had to kill the ball to prevent further attrition. In a scrappy half WPRFC were dominating territory and were clearly bossing the set piece with one colossal drive at a defensive 5m scrum pushing their opponents back a number of metres allowing Harrison to clear his lines.

Half time HAC 0-3 WPRFC

So the big question was whether the visitors could convert their superiority into points to maintain their number one League position. The answers started to come 3 minutes into the half when flanker Beckett made a positive 20 metre thrust on the left, the ball was quickly recycled to centre Max Wilkins whose run further breached the defence setting up a gap for Joel Medcraft to sprint through for Combe's first try. Another answer came 5 minutes later when the Combe pack drove back HAC at a 5m scrum for captain Dave Pohlen to pick up and plunge over for the try. Harrison kicked a fine conversion to put the score at 15-0.

Renford Bennet then continued his fine vein of scoring form. Combe had the put-in to a scrum in midfield and the pack provided a clean heel for Lewis Headland to feed Harrison who kicked a well weighted kick for Bennet to run onto and score Combe's third. The conversion was added to make it 22-0 and the next question was whether Combe could secure a try bonus point.

That bonus point was secured with 15 minutes to go. Again Combe's scrum was steady and flanker Aidan Devane exploited some room on the blind side to pass to Dan Hamilton who showed how lethal he is as a finisher this time from 40 metres out. Harrison extended the lead to 29 points with his fourth successful kick of the day.

Combe weren't finished and, against a tiring opposition Hamilton, had one fine run of 45 metres from his own 22 to snuff out one of HAC's rare forays into Combe territory. He then followed it up with just over 10 minutes to play this time with an attacking run deep into the HAC half. Combe won the ensuing scrum against the head and, when Max Wilkins got his mitts on the ball, he was not going to be stopped dragging two or three HAC bodies over the line. With the conversion added Combe were 36 points to the good. As the clock ticked down Combe had one last scrum. The forwards continued their good work and this time it was the other centre Brad Saffrey who scored to finish the 6 try fusillade of the half.

An excellent result for Combe built on an all round superb performance from the pack who defended hugely around the fringes and dominated HAC at the set piece. HAC tried their hardest to compete and did themeselves justice especially in the first half but couldn't keep this up for the 80 minutes.

Next Saturday Combe are back at Goddington Dene for the visit of Horsham. Let's hope for a big crowd for this one to get behind the team.

Match Report: John Vallely