When it clicks for Westcombe Park it really does click as a welcome victory at Goddington Dene demonstrated. Seven tries were scored in a clinical display as the disappointments of previous weeks were put well behind Combe.

But it was the visitors who took the lead within 5 minutes when Combe infringed in front of the posts and the penalty was kicked. Any encouragement for Maidenhead soon disappeared when they went down to 14 players and then conceded a try a couple of minutes later when lock Aiden Devane ran in unopposed following sterling work from captain Harry Sansbury. Cameron Hancock added the conversion. Man of the match Hancock then got Combe's second with a quick tap penalty and a dummy and also added the two points. Sansbury himself was next to score with an astute kick through the defence for the touch down.

At 19-3 down Maidenhead needed something but they had to wait until the 36 minute mark when they were awarded a penalty at the scrum which was duly scored. Combe had the last word when a dominant scrum gave time and space for an accurate cross-field kick to find a lurking Sam Rhodes who ran in the try. Hancock kicked a difficult conversion.

At 26-6 Westcombe Park could breath a little more easily than of late and, 5 minutes into the second half, that breathing relaxed further when Hancock chipped for Devane to act as link for the former to run in under the posts for his second try. The conversion extended the lead to 33-6. The game drifted for the next 15 minutes but a couple of yellow cards to the home side and a penalty try for a deliberate knock on 5 metres out sparked a bit more life into proceedings.

Any slight hope for the visitors was extinguished when Hancock intercepted deep in the Combe half and raced almost the length of the pitch to complete his hat-trick and added his fifth conversion of the afternoon. And to round things off the tireless flanker Cameron Hyne made a huge distance down the left and fed the supporting run of Lewis Headland to complete a more than satisfactory afternoon for WPRFC.

So a happier clubhouse with the atmosphere hugely enhanced by a fine display of defiance in defeat from the visitors from Maidenhead who, I think, won a loudly celebrated post match drinking challenge.

Report by John Vallely