Old Habits Die Hard as Kimmins Makes 'em Pay the Penalty!

London Cornish produced their most controlled performance of the season in Regional 2 Thames on Saturday when they prevented visitors Old Haberdashers from scoring any points between the tries they landed in the 5th and 78th minutes of this match, the hosts grinding out the 22-12 win to move up to 5th in the league. The visitors will rue the lack of discipline that saw them concede 4 kickable penalties in the match, two of which saw them marched back 10 for backchat to the referee.
Cornish have had to contend with a rare outbreak of mumps across the backline in the hiatus, which saw top try scorer Robbie Mackay sidelined for this one amongst others. The exiles continue to recruit new players however and the arrival of Ben Boorman, late of the parish of Redruth RFC, plugged one gap whilst back row Mark Osei-Tutu was asked to step onto the wing to plug another. Tom Carr was given a debut at lock and formed a new combination with fit again Mike McEwen, the pair producing a very promising partnership. There are a few more exciting West Country arrivals to blood in the next few weeks too, the fruits of this recruitment drive evident in the 2s win over New Zealand Kiwis on the adjoining pitch.
Playing with the wind away from the clubhouse, Cornish were quickly on the board when a long range George Kimmins penalty found its mark on 3 minutes. However, with their first attack 2 mintues later the Borehamwood based outfit found room at a ruck to scoot over under the posts for a converted try. Both sides lost players to the bin in the opening 25 minutes in separate incidents and, though having the territorial edge, Cornish struggled to make their possession count, dropping the ball in advancing rolling mauls twice when well placed and twice held up over the line on 22 and 35 minutes, though for the third time this season Skipper Alex Davey actually ‘scored’ one of these only for the ref to be unsighted. A feature of the match was the number of visiting players strewn around the pitch whenever the exiles pieced together phases of play, the referee stopping play on a number of occasions to allow the lads to be treated. 2 visiting players could not carry on in this opening period and were replaced. Cornish too had to make a change as the combative Charlie Bolton pulled a calf muscle and was replaced by the evergreen Dave Theobald, Tony Pellow moving to hook and Joe Lynch to loose head. The pressure had to tell but it took until 38 minutes for Cornish to break down the visiting d, Kimmins taking a quick tap on the OH 22 then stepping off his right foot 3 times before straightening to dive over wide left, him unable to improve his own score but the exiles 8-7 to the good at the break.
The OH game is very much based around their powerful Skipper at 13 but the poor lad must be exhausted as they went to him so often, though he had a great battle all afternoon with Kimmins, who is of similar stature. Now playing into the wind, it would be important for Cornish not to concede penalties but they did exactly that very early in the 2nd half, losing a man to the bin to boot. However, when they kicked to Terry’s Corner their lineout was overthrown and snaffled by Theobald to charge up field and set his backs up to clear the ball. Gradually in the opening period, the exiles had begun to get on top in the tight and this was to prove crucial in the match as OH’s could not gain any go forward clean ball from this aspect of their gameplan, Lynch, Pellow and Theobald enjoying being reunited. With their game in the tight under pressure, the Herts side began transgressing, conceding a penalty on their 22 converted by Kimmins on 51 minutes. The visitors responded and made ground into the Cornish 22 only to be pinged for crawling along the floor with the ball when close to the line, the danger averted for the home side. Into the wind the hard yards made by the likes of Niko Mirosevic-Sorgo, McEwen, replacement Adam Wheeler and the counter attacking Boorman were to prove crucial in keeping the visitors at arms length. On 63 minutes a Pellow arrow found Carr and the maul was set. It drove OH back before Osei-Tutu broke away at the angle to take play 10 out from the posts, George Jackson popping to McEwen to take play on before Mike Edworthy’s quick hands sent Terry Gillam away to score wide right, the conversion attempt held up on the wind but Cornish now out to a 16-7 lead. On 64 minutes and as they attempted to run from deep, the visitors were pinged when the break down nuisance that is Will Carew-Gibbs won a penalty smack in front just inside the 10m line, Kimmins making no mistake. 5 minutes later and as they again attempted to run out of their 22, the visitors were pinged for blocking then marched back 10 to make the kick point blank, Kimmins lifting the difference to 3 scores at 22-7. With 8 left on the clock the dangerous OH left wing cut inside and broke through from half way into the exiles 22, but he was downed by Boorman and then pinged when he attempted to continue playing the ball whilst still held. With time almost up the visitors finally gave their vocal travelling support something to cheer about when their 8 threw an overhead pass to their wing to dive over by the left corner flag, the drop goal conversion attempt not close and the game over shortly afterwards, Cornish victors by 22-12.
It’s a hell of a schlep from Borehamwood to the REMPF and to their great credit Haberdashers also came back to the CC a further mile or so away. They took some knocks in this game and, with their 2s not having yet fielded a side this season, there must be a worry about their depth with 10 matches in 11 weekends. They have weaponry to hurt many teams and are another side likely to win in their turn. We wish them well and look forward to meeting them again the New Year.
Cornish will be delighted to have won this one with a backline containing a few unfamiliar names in unfamiliar positions, but also because they were finally able to field 2 locks and the stark difference that made to their set piece was evident for all to see. 17 points already matches last seasons total and the reaction to the 2s win on the adjoining pitch told you everything you need to know about the spirit at LCRFC this season – onward and upward!