Thurrock RFC 31-46 Westcombe Park RFC

30 minutes of the game had gone and there was still only one score on the board, a converted try to Thurrock. The next 50 minutes delivered a plethora of scoring with Combe winger Dan Hamilton to the fore notching a total of five tries as he proved too hot to handle for the home defence. Although the visitors took the lead for the first time early in the second period the Essex side never gave up and, indeed, narrowed the lead to 8 points with only a couple of minutes remaining.

Westcombe Park showed early attacking intent in the opening phases of the match with one clear chance to that man Hamilton going begging due to the final pass going to ground. When Thurrock were reduced to 14 men for a bit of indiscipline following a Combe penalty, the visiting fans' hopes for a score increased but some looseness in ball retention dashed such hopes. Indeed it was the home team who were first on the scoreboard when they scored close to the posts after going through several phases following a lost Combe scrum. The conversion was added.

Combe, and Hamilton, got their first try on 30 minutes. Clean ball from the pack and a slick passing move involving Harvey Young , Matt Harrison and Harry Sansbury put Hamilton in the clear to dot down out wide. 5 minutes later Hamilton added a second when Thurrock turned the ball over just outside their opponents 22 and Hamilton was there to scoop up the ball and outpace the covering defence. 10-7 for the visitors.

On the cusp of half time Thurrock won a penalty in their own half and, with the wind, winger Kye Holloway launched a huge kick to within 5 metres of the Combe line. Lock Catchpole secured good ball and the ensuing drive powered over the line. With the try converted Thurrock went into the sheds 14-10 to the good.

4 minutes into the second half Combe retook the lead which they were not to relinquish. Centre Max Wilkins made a good break and passed to fellow centre Sansbury who glided through the defence to score. Harvey Young kicked the conversion. Young extended that lead to 20-14 kicking a wind assisted penalty from just inside the Thurrock half. On the 50 minute mark, the Essex side hit back with a try of their own as they got round the Combe defence to score wide on the left.

The rat-a-tat nature of the half continued when Hamilton score his third and his team's bonus point try as he came off his wing to grab the ball and run in from 40 metres. The conversion was added. 5 minutes later Combe secured a bit of breathing space when scrum half Lewis Headland spotted a gap in the ruck defence to speed through the hole and run in from around 20 metres. With the conversion added Combe were leading 34-19 with just over 20 minutes to play.

Hamilton got his fourth on 65 minutes again showing his fleetness of foot and ability to break tackles. But Thurrock continued to fight back and, when Combe lost the ball in midfield, the homeside exposed the fractured nature of the Combe defence to run in under the posts for a converted try which secured at least one bonus point for their efforts. They repeated the dose with a couple of minutes left as they broke through for their fifth try making the score 31-39. It was left to Hamilton to have the last say as Combe went through the phases and fed to ball wide for the winger's fifth score. Young finished the match with his fifth successful kick.

A good win on the road against the perennially tough nut to crack that is Thurrock. Combe's pack stuck to their task throughout the afternoon in the set piece and in the loose with honours just about even. Once they settled Combe's backs went through their paces with a degree of ruthlessness epitomised by Hamilton's try scoring prowess. Thurrock did their bit to make this one of the more entertaining halves of play this season as evinced by their own 5 try performance.

Back to Goddington Dene next Saturday for the first home game of 2020 against Chichester.