Rarely have Combe started a season so well as in the first game of the new National League Three (London & S.E.) at Goddington Dene on Saturday. Rarely have Combe started a season looking the complete thing as they did on Saturday. Rarely have Combe started a season looking so fit as they did on Saturday. Rarely have Combe started a season displaying the basic skills as they did on Saturday. In short, rarely has it been such a pleasure being part of Combe as it did on Saturday.
We've yet to see if the new regime stands up through the season both home and away, in all conditions, and through the vigour's of injury, only time will tell but it was significant that despite a few new faces this squad is one that regular Combe supporters would feel familiar.
It could have been very different, the first fifty minutes were very even. Combe went into an early lead in the first ten minutes with an Iain Gordan penalty and a Trent Nattrass try, running through on to a kick over the top, and picking up the low bouncing ball at speed to cross in the corner.
Ten minutes later Guernsey's scrum-half Malcolm Barnes jinxed his way through the Combe defence to touchdown between the posts to make Sam Whitehead's conversion a formality.
For most of the second quarter Combe were under pressure and it took a stout defence and two try saving tackles, one notably from Bryan Young, to keep Combe's narrowest of leads and it wasn't until the half was coming to an end that Combe gained territory into Guernsey's half.
The second half was more than ten minutes old and had been a pretty even affair when in short order full-back Casey Stone and fly-half Iain Gordan made a significant change to the scoreboard.
The ball had been pinging its way back and forth across the Guernsey 22, punctuated by routine play from Combe's forwards who were now having the better of the exchanges for the first time, when Casey Stone lept at pace to pluck an overhead pass from the air and crash over near the posts.
Iain Gordan had no trouble with the conversion and then ghosted his way through Guernsey's defence for his own try. He slashed at the conversion attempt and it hit the outside of the near post, high up from no distance. Ten minutes later and he was able to make amends with a much more difficult penalty kick.
Leading 23—7 now, Combes priority became the bonus point and we didn't have to wait long. Trent Nattrass popped up on the right wing to latch onto the ball not dissimilar to his try in the first half and cross in the corner, with time to make some way to the posts, so Iain Gordan's chance was easier.
As the match came towards its inevitable conclusion a Guernsey scrum just outside Combe's 22 broke up with a free kick that Ben Hough quickly took and set off on a weaving run virtually from one 22 to the other and when the chase came to an end Bryan Young was on hand to finish and Iain Gordan added the points.
Next week's encounter away to TJ's will be watched with some interest for all sorts of reasons!

Match Reporter: Mike Attewell