It's Cream on Top as Rodda Double Seals the Win!

London Cornish produced a fine tactical performance in Watford to end Fullerians 100% home record in Regional 2 Thames on Saturday, landing the bonus point win to lift the exiles to 4th place. The visitors, who were never behind on the scoreboard the entire match, met the Herts sides perceived strength in the tight head on, absorbed pressure with strong defensive sets in the 2nd half, then struck with devastating effect late on.
With mumps continuing to affect the Cornish back line, both top points scorer George Kimmins and top try scorer Robbie Mackay were unavailable for this match, Pete Brogden returning at 12 and Dan Phoenix at 13 with a clear mission to stop the 2 lumpy Fullerians centres from crossing the gainline, and moving the ball outside them whenever the opportunity arose. The exiles opened playing away from the clubhouse in the 1st half, on a great pitch in dry, bright conditions with a cross wind of benefit to neither side. Early scouting missions by Cornish saw ball spilled a couple of times, one on 10 minutes seeing Will Carew-Gibbs break free from a rolling maul before linking with Niko Mirosevic-Sorgo and David Chalkley before a miss pass hit the dirt in midfield. This warning wasn’t headed however, and on 13 minutes the exiles took a lead they did not relinquish. Kicking a penalty, awarded for a high tackle on George Jackson, to 10 out down the right hand side, Cornish set a maul, but rather than keep it rolling broke blind, Mike McEwen finding loosehead Joe Lynch lurking out wide to dive over at the angle for the opening try of the match, this one not improved. The home side missed a relatively simple penalty from in front on 20 minutes and nearly paid an immediate price when a long George Bromage kick dribbled agonisingly over the try line to be touched down by a retreating home back just as Jackson arrived on the scene. On 25 minutes the exiles added to their lead following another Carew-Gibbs foray, Mike Edworthy driving a decent kick over from between the 22 and 10 metre line. Fullerians had to respond, roared on by a decent crowd who had spilled out from a generous looking lunch. They won a penalty on 27 minutes and kicked to the left hand corner, electing for a scrum when Cornish were pinged again. However, they could not shift the exiles front V so the ball was sent wide, their right wing squeezing over by the flag for a well converted try to reduce the arrears to a single point. With battle well and truly joined, Fullerians again opted for a scrum at a penalty on 35 minutes but to their horror they were unable to strike for the ball, Cornish hooker Tony Pellow stealing the ball against the head and then the exiles pack driving the home side clean off their own put in, no 8 Mirosevic-Sorgo heading blind and making great yardage before being forced into touch. This action cost the home side one of their wings, injured in an earlier exchange and unable to continue. Cornish saw out the remaining few minutes of the half with no alarm, turning round 8-7 to the good.
Fullerians began the 2nd half on the front foot, pinning Cornish in their 22 for 5 minutes but held out by strong d. On 45 minutes the referee was felled by a glancing shoulder blow and required treatment from both physio teams to ensure he was good to continue, which thankfully he was. At the scrum reset, the Herts side went blind but were halted by a fantastic steal on the floor by Cornish Skipper Alex Davey, Bromage clearing the ball outside the 22. Back came the home side but with each phase they were driven further and further back by the exiles defence until they were forced to knock on on half-way. The physicality of the exchanges saw the home side make at least one further change in the back line at this point, whilst Cornish replaced Chalkley with Tom Carr at lock and debutant Tom Dyer with Kieran Rodda on the wing, Bromage moving to full back. On 54 minutes Dave Theobald claimed a Fullerians lineout on his own 22 and set off on a rampage upfield, the ball worked to Phoenix to drive the home side back into their own half, play now settling down in mid pitch for a period. On 62 minutes Cornish stole another ball against the head, Mirosevic-Sorgo linking with Davey and Brogden to take play into the home 22 only for the visitors to be pinged at a ruck. This last action saw Davey injured and replaced by Nick Goss. Back came Cornish and on 66 minutes a fine passage of play saw Carew-Gibbs, McEwen and Mirosevic-Sorgo again combine to take play to the home 22, before Edworthy angled through a gap and sent a reverse pass to Phoenix to dive over just to the right of the post, Edworthy adding the extras to give his side an 8 point lead. Bayed on by their support, Fullerians responded within a few minutes, one of their pack breaking from a maul and somehow twisting his way over half-way in to the posts, but the conversion attempt flew wide to leave the score at 15-12. This last score was somewhat against the run of play however, and as they sought to chase the game, the home side were throwing the ball around more loosely. On 77 minutes Fullerians attacked just inside the exiles half but as they went blind a loose pass was picked off by Rodda. The former Falmouth flyer set off with a home wing in pursuit, but lost the lad with a deft shimmy before arrowing in to score to the right of the posts (pictured), Edworthy taking the game beyond Fullerians reach with the conversion. With time almost up, a dominant Cornish scrum inside their own half gave Jackson the opportunity to snipe, him weaving between 2 home defenders and popping a pass to Bromage on his outside. A fine step saw off the wing and another inside pass gave Rodda the opportunity to beat the full back and scorch clear of the cover to land the bonus point try wide right, this one not improved but time called for no man with the exiles worthy 27-12 victors.
Fullerians are yet another of the phalanx of sides in this division closely matched on the field. They will have other days when they are more clinical than they were here and will not be daunted by anyone in Regional 2 Thames. Off the pitch they are a truly hospitable and friendly community club with a unique set of challenges brought about by the convoluted ownership structure at their ground. We wish them well in those endeavours and look forward to hosting them at the REMPF in the New Year.
Cornish take another step forward with this win, demonstrating that there is momentum building at the club and no shortage of depth too given the key absentees on the day and the continued good form of the 2s. The club continues to attract new players and the odd one returning too!