Set Piece Woes Dog Cornish Again!

In his weekly piece in the Rugby Paper last weekend, the headline to Jeff Probyn’s piece claimed that “Set Piece Domination is Still the Key to Victory”. No vain boast this, for at every level of the game a failure to win set piece ball is going to make it a tough 80 minutes for the suffering side. So it proved for London Cornish in Dulwich on Saturday as they valiantly spent much of the match against Old Alleynians without the ball, tackling themselves to a standstill at times but still finding the energy to produce the grandstand finish that landed them a try with the final act of the match.
Cornish, sporting their new gold change strip, began playing away from the car park end and were quickly behind when a charge down in their in goal area fell neatly into the arms of a home forward to simply flop down for a converted try. Any hopes of a quick reposte was quickly scotched by the alarming about of ball the exiles lost in contact or on the floor, which made it tough to sustain any pressure. On 16 minutes a loose offload was picked off by Alleynians and only a last ditch tackle by George Jackson inside his 22 prevented any addition to the score. This cost Jackson, for his head was cut in the act of tackling, him temporarily replaced by Ciaran Johnston, Fin Tweedie moving to the wing to cover. On 20 minutes the old boys outfit did improve their score when an interchange wide out saw one of their number over wide right for an unconverted try. 3 minutes later Skipper Alex Davey pinched a ball on the floor and when Jimmy New carried the home side was caught offside, Mike Edworthy putting his side on the board with the pen. On 28 minutes Cornish launched a rolling maul when David Chalkley claimed a Ryan Abraham arrow, it marching Alleynians deep into their 22 before being recycled wide, but a knock on in midfield saw the promising position lost, this inability to hold on to possession dogging the exiles plans in the 1st half. This profligacy was punished on 37 minutes when the home side sent one of their forwards over by the posts for a converted try, the lead now out to 19-3. At the restart, the home side worked the ball into midfield but a Pete Brogden chop tackle gave fellow centre Dan Phoenix the chance to jackal and win a penalty, the kick landed by Edworthy. There was just time for Alleynians to win a very kickable penalty of their own, but their kicker pushed the kick wide of the right hand upright to leave the score at the break 19-6 to the home side.
Cornish made a change at the break, bringing on Dave Theobald for Jimmy New at tight head. A scrappy opening 10 to the 2nd period was ended when an Alleynian drove between two tacklers to score by the posts, the bonus point try converted. Further home forays were ended by the combative exiles d where Davey and Tom Webb worked overtime to stamp out fires as they appeared across the park, though Davey took a knock and was replaced by Conor Pearce on the hour mark. However, there was little they could do as the home side appeared sharper all over the park having played and trained across the Festive break, a further converted try added on 63 minutes. A poor try was conceded right from the restart when an Alleynians lock was allowed to canter from one 22 to the other pretty much unopposed, this score also improved to take the lead out to 40-6. A couple of Cornish players shone in the gloom to give their side field position, Mark Osei-Tutu and Tweedie constantly keeping the home d honest. On 73 minutes and despite a fine last ditch George Bromage tackle, the Alleynians support was on hand to pick up and drive over wide left, this score not improved. On 77 the home side brought up the half century with a sweeping move that ended with one of their locks crossing wide right, this also not converted but the score now 50-6. On 80 minutes, Johnston took a quick tap on half way and sent a Crossfield kick into the waiting arms of Osei-Tutu, who offloaded to the returned and bandaged Jackson, him scampering clear to 10 out, offloading to Chalkley to take it to 5 out, then a couple of phases all that was required for Osei-Tutu to twist his way over for the try, the conversion attempt flying wide and the final whistle sounding immediately.
Alleynians simply looked like a sharper side in most facets of the game on this occasion and took full advantage of a lighter weight side against them. They play an all court game and were full value for their win – we wish them well with their season.
Cornish have had a couple of games like this one this season from which they have bounced back quickly. They will need to do so again but that work begins at training and attendances on Wednesday demonstrate plenty of spirit in the camp remains!