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Sat 09 Dec 2023 · Regional 2 South East
Old Reigatian
1st XV
43
27
Tries: R Mackay, G Bromage, R LingConversions: M Edworthy (3)Penalties: M Edworthy (2)
Cornish Punished for Sleepy Start!
Dickon Moon13 Dec 2023 - 11:01
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Exiles playing catch up after conceding 3 early tries.
Despite a vastly improved showing compared with their previous away game, London Cornish still had nothing to show for this defeat at Old Reigatian in Regional 2 South-East on Saturday, the exiles paying for their slow start by having to chase the game in the closing minutes, which opened the door for their hosts to finally put them away. There was however, plenty to cheer for the visiting supporters and certainly hope springs eternal!
It is some time since Cornish had been to Reigatians well-appointed HQ and on a very windy day after heavy overnight rain, found a pitch belying the conditions. However, 2 minutes in it wasn’t the pitch the exiles were studying but their navels as they failed to react to a dropped ball just inside their own half and an OR back pounced, twice fly hacking on to get the touchdown in the left hand corner nearest the car park, an excellent conversion seemingly defying the wind. Worse was to follow a couple of minutes later when your correspondent was still updating social media, ORs working room to send their left wing sliding over in the same spot, the extras added again. With the wind now picking up and blowing in towards the clubhouse, the visitors finally woke from their slumber, a George Jackson snipe the launchpad for an assault that ended with a penalty being won, Mike Edworthy landing his teams first points of the day with the kick. Though Adam Wheeler won a penalty on the floor to stem the next attack, a poor box kick was recycled with interest by Reigatian to find space to score for the third time in the same spot, though this one was not improved, the home side now 19-3 up and seemingly coasting, Cornish also losing a man to the bin during that last passage of play. This last score seemed to galvanise the visitors, who suddenly began to pick up the tempo, Edworthy probing for openings in the home d and linking well with Tom Webb, Alex Davies and Wheeler to take the game to the hosts in their half. When a penalty was awarded for a high tackle in front of the home posts, Cornish elected for a scrum then executed a fine 1st phase backs move to send Robbie Mackay over at the angle, him taking the ball to the house and rounding towards the posts for the try, Edworthy adding the extras courtesy of the near post. Any semblance of a comeback was seemingly scotched 3 minutes later when a Cornish kick was charged down and the ball bounced invitingly over the line for a home back to pounce on it for his sides bonus point try, not improved but Reigatian 24-10 ahead with 5 minutes left in the half. However, the home kicker launched the restart out on the full and when Cornish won a scrum penalty, they kicked deep into the home half. David Chalkley claimed Ryan Abrahams arrow and the maul was set, driving play to 10 out from the OR line. 4 battering phases from Ryan Hand, Wheeler, Davey and Jimmy New took play to 5 out near the posts, and Jackson hit wing George Bromage on an angle to step the defence and run in under the posts, Edworth converting. Another fluffed restart and Cornish had the ball again, this time kicking to the left hand flank but when the ball was worked in field, the OR loose head was knocked out and immediately replaced. With the nudge in the tight, Cornish won a penalty at the resultant scrum, Edworthy driving his kick between the posts to make the half-time score an unlikely 24-20 to the home side.
The exiles made a change at the break, Jackson suffering with a heavy cold replaced by Matt Hakes at centre, Fin Tweedie moving in to the 9 spot. Once again, the ORs 10 kicked the restart out on the full and Cornish won penalties for high tackles in the opening 10 of the 2nd half, though nothing came of the advantageous field position. The visitors made further changes now, Rory Ling and Mark Osei-Tutu on in place of Mat Hand and Tom Carr. The OR attacks were more sporadic now, though one was halted by a huge 1 on 1 Dan Phoenix tackle, Mackay winning the pen for holding with the subsequent jackal, Carr returning to the fray so a knock to Wheeler could be assessed. Somewhat against the run of play the home side struck again on 61, a missed tackle all it took for their fine set of backs to execute a 3 on 2 to cross wide left, the try not converted but the lead now out to 9. This score precipitated a sustained assault by the exiles, Phoenix joining the line to break through, a high tackle by the Reigatian 7 seeing him consigned to the bin. From the lineout, Abraham hit Davey and the maul rolled towards the line before Ling crashed over for the try (pictured with top of head showing), Edworthy converting. With just 2 points in it, the next score would be crucial and the home side landed it on 71 minutes after the exiles also lost a man to the bin, though there was a semblance of crossing as a centre cantered over under the posts for a converted try to take the lead back out to 9, Wheeler returning for Tom Webb to take a break. With at least 2 points still within their reach, Cornish launched another sustained assault on the home line, carries by Osei-Tutu, Hakes, Edworthy, New, Davey and Wheeler taking play deep into the OR 22. With time almost up and every exiles carry making ground, it seemed a score was inevitable, but an injudicious long cut out pass missed its man and bounced up invitingly into the arms of the home wing, who scooted the length of the pitch for the match clinching try, the conversion a formality, the final whistle sounding soon afterwards.
One of the many faults of the league re-structure is that clubs can no longer build on the great relationships they have forged with regular rivals as they are shunted around from one league to the next. Lest one forgets, win, lose or draw you are always guaranteed a great welcome at Old Reigatian RFC and it was a long time after the final whistle that many of the exiles left such was the hospitality, 3 teams at home meaning the bar was packed with former 1s players keen to recount their feats of yore, some of which have definitely been embellished over time! This well refereed game was a thriller for the neutral and played in the spirit these two clubs have shared for decades now – we wish OR’s well and hope to see them again next season.
The performances in the last 2 games have seen a marked improvement from the exiles, competitive in both matches and landing the first. This is encouraging and needs to be sustained for the club to sustain its enjoyable stay at Level 6!
It is some time since Cornish had been to Reigatians well-appointed HQ and on a very windy day after heavy overnight rain, found a pitch belying the conditions. However, 2 minutes in it wasn’t the pitch the exiles were studying but their navels as they failed to react to a dropped ball just inside their own half and an OR back pounced, twice fly hacking on to get the touchdown in the left hand corner nearest the car park, an excellent conversion seemingly defying the wind. Worse was to follow a couple of minutes later when your correspondent was still updating social media, ORs working room to send their left wing sliding over in the same spot, the extras added again. With the wind now picking up and blowing in towards the clubhouse, the visitors finally woke from their slumber, a George Jackson snipe the launchpad for an assault that ended with a penalty being won, Mike Edworthy landing his teams first points of the day with the kick. Though Adam Wheeler won a penalty on the floor to stem the next attack, a poor box kick was recycled with interest by Reigatian to find space to score for the third time in the same spot, though this one was not improved, the home side now 19-3 up and seemingly coasting, Cornish also losing a man to the bin during that last passage of play. This last score seemed to galvanise the visitors, who suddenly began to pick up the tempo, Edworthy probing for openings in the home d and linking well with Tom Webb, Alex Davies and Wheeler to take the game to the hosts in their half. When a penalty was awarded for a high tackle in front of the home posts, Cornish elected for a scrum then executed a fine 1st phase backs move to send Robbie Mackay over at the angle, him taking the ball to the house and rounding towards the posts for the try, Edworthy adding the extras courtesy of the near post. Any semblance of a comeback was seemingly scotched 3 minutes later when a Cornish kick was charged down and the ball bounced invitingly over the line for a home back to pounce on it for his sides bonus point try, not improved but Reigatian 24-10 ahead with 5 minutes left in the half. However, the home kicker launched the restart out on the full and when Cornish won a scrum penalty, they kicked deep into the home half. David Chalkley claimed Ryan Abrahams arrow and the maul was set, driving play to 10 out from the OR line. 4 battering phases from Ryan Hand, Wheeler, Davey and Jimmy New took play to 5 out near the posts, and Jackson hit wing George Bromage on an angle to step the defence and run in under the posts, Edworth converting. Another fluffed restart and Cornish had the ball again, this time kicking to the left hand flank but when the ball was worked in field, the OR loose head was knocked out and immediately replaced. With the nudge in the tight, Cornish won a penalty at the resultant scrum, Edworthy driving his kick between the posts to make the half-time score an unlikely 24-20 to the home side.
The exiles made a change at the break, Jackson suffering with a heavy cold replaced by Matt Hakes at centre, Fin Tweedie moving in to the 9 spot. Once again, the ORs 10 kicked the restart out on the full and Cornish won penalties for high tackles in the opening 10 of the 2nd half, though nothing came of the advantageous field position. The visitors made further changes now, Rory Ling and Mark Osei-Tutu on in place of Mat Hand and Tom Carr. The OR attacks were more sporadic now, though one was halted by a huge 1 on 1 Dan Phoenix tackle, Mackay winning the pen for holding with the subsequent jackal, Carr returning to the fray so a knock to Wheeler could be assessed. Somewhat against the run of play the home side struck again on 61, a missed tackle all it took for their fine set of backs to execute a 3 on 2 to cross wide left, the try not converted but the lead now out to 9. This score precipitated a sustained assault by the exiles, Phoenix joining the line to break through, a high tackle by the Reigatian 7 seeing him consigned to the bin. From the lineout, Abraham hit Davey and the maul rolled towards the line before Ling crashed over for the try (pictured with top of head showing), Edworthy converting. With just 2 points in it, the next score would be crucial and the home side landed it on 71 minutes after the exiles also lost a man to the bin, though there was a semblance of crossing as a centre cantered over under the posts for a converted try to take the lead back out to 9, Wheeler returning for Tom Webb to take a break. With at least 2 points still within their reach, Cornish launched another sustained assault on the home line, carries by Osei-Tutu, Hakes, Edworthy, New, Davey and Wheeler taking play deep into the OR 22. With time almost up and every exiles carry making ground, it seemed a score was inevitable, but an injudicious long cut out pass missed its man and bounced up invitingly into the arms of the home wing, who scooted the length of the pitch for the match clinching try, the conversion a formality, the final whistle sounding soon afterwards.
One of the many faults of the league re-structure is that clubs can no longer build on the great relationships they have forged with regular rivals as they are shunted around from one league to the next. Lest one forgets, win, lose or draw you are always guaranteed a great welcome at Old Reigatian RFC and it was a long time after the final whistle that many of the exiles left such was the hospitality, 3 teams at home meaning the bar was packed with former 1s players keen to recount their feats of yore, some of which have definitely been embellished over time! This well refereed game was a thriller for the neutral and played in the spirit these two clubs have shared for decades now – we wish OR’s well and hope to see them again next season.
The performances in the last 2 games have seen a marked improvement from the exiles, competitive in both matches and landing the first. This is encouraging and needs to be sustained for the club to sustain its enjoyable stay at Level 6!
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