1st XV
Matches
Sat 06 Apr 2019  ·  London South 1
Hove
33
33
London Cornish RFC
1st XV
Tries: H Somers (2), D Funston, M Hakes, G KimminsConversions: G Kimmins (4)
Thrills & Spills Sum Up Cornish Season!

Thrills & Spills Sum Up Cornish Season!

Dickon Moon11 Apr 2019 - 13:27
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https://www.londoncornishrfc.c

Exiles down tools as Hove make their point.

For the neutral this season, London 1 South has been heaven. Wherever you live across the 5 counties involved, you can find a match to enthral and excite you in equal measure, and you can never quite predict the outcome. To whit, London Cornish; erstwhile conquerors of league leaders Sevenoaks, but also the only side against whom Hove have managed to avoid a defeat after 24 straight losses, which included conceding over 80 points in the reverse match.
Cornish arrived at the Hove Rec strengthened by the return of a few lads who had just landed from a holiday in the Philippines that morning, and by the return to action of lock James La Broy following an operation. A recent pattern had seen the exiles build significant leads in the matches against Thurrock, Brighton and Chobham, only to go missing for large chunks of the 2nd half , less through lack of fitness than simple game management, as often happens when a side has little to play for. What was to follow in this match was something of a microcosm of that recent run.
On a bright, breezy day, Cornish opened playing away from the main road on a bumpy pitch in front of a vocal home crowd. Hove were fast out of the blocks, and opened the scoring on 2 minutes when an inside ball caught out the visitors backline and allowed a home back to score half way in to the right hand post, conversion missed. Gradually weathering the anticipated home storm, Cornish worked their way into the game, and into oppo territory. On a few occasions this was simply from misplaced Hove passes, Matt Hakes twice on hand to fly hack down field to set up decent field position. On 15 minutes, the exiles took the lead. Rich Stephens made a break, and the ball was worked out to Jack Skerritt on the left wing, who arrowed in field. Mark Osei-Tutu took play deep into the Hove 22, and lock Harry Somers was on hand to power over just to the left of the posts for his Skipper George Kimmins to convert. 5 minutes later, the same player was again the beneficiary, this time a rolling maul taking play to 5 out, and Somers was again on hand to drive over under the posts, Kimmins again converting for a 14-5 lead. On 25 minutes, with Cornish looking dangerous at every play, full back Harry Buttery countered, Will Carew-Gibbs through a gap and over half-way, supported by Mark O'Leary, whose offload gave centre Dave Funston the chance to beat the cover at the angle and score wide left, Kimmins launching a great conversion into the wind. The exiles lost prop Guy Sullivan to injury in this passage of play, Dave Theobald on in his place. On 33 minutes, and following a trip on Stephens inside the Hove 22, Kimmins launched a long pass to Hakes lurking wide left. He exchanged passes with Skerritt before reaching between 2 Hove players to plant the ball over the line by the left hand touchline, Kimmins again producing a fantastic conversion to give his side a 28-5 lead. In the remaining minutes of the half, Cornish were given a sharp reminder that, while Hove do concede plenty of points, they also have their own weaponry, a clean break by one of their centres only ended when the final pass was dropped with the line at their mercy, the exiles well ahead as the whistle sounded.
With the wind now shifting in Hove's favour in the 2nd period, Cornish would have to work harder to look after the pill. Initially, they did this with great success, another Funston break setting up a series of phases inside the Hove 22, culminating in Kimmins being able to dummy his way over for a try half way in to the posts, though crucially this 5th try was not improved, 45 minutes on the clock. The momentum remained with the visitors for a further 10 minutes yet, George Shirlaw setting up an attack, which only ended when Ryan Webb was bundled into touch inside the Hove 22 wide right. Another change saw a wholesale reshuffle in the exiles pack, hooker Will Murray withdrawn, Carew-Gibbs moving from back row to front row, Andy Hakes coming in to the row, and La Broy moving to back row. When Hove scored next down the left flank for a converted try on 55 minutes, there was still no real indication of what was to follow, the deficit reduced to 33-12. However, from this point on for the next 20 minutes, Cornish simply could not hold on to the ball, which suddenly resembled a bar of soap in their hands. A succession of players spilt the ball when in possession under little or no pressure, gifting stupendous amounts of possession back to Hove, who have demonstrated in recent weeks that they are beginning to rediscover their mojo. On 62, 64 and 74 minutes, Hove scored converted tries from some distance out, all of the scores down their left flank as tackles were missed and visiting players simply not numbering up. In between the 2nd and 3rd of these scores, the Sussex side thought they had landed another try down the right channel bang in front of an ecstatic home support, but were called back for a forward pass. The exiles brought Murray back on for the ailing Carew-Gibbs, and with a few minutes left also brought on Giles Humphries for Skerritt, Matt Hakes moving out to the wing. These changes seemed to settle Cornish, for in the remaining minutes they fashioned 2 clear cut chances to win the game, first Humphries easing through a gap to send a perfectly weighted grubber kick right to left to inches from the Hove line, but the ball would not sit up and as the onrushing exiles went to pick it up to score, the ball was agonisingly lost forward. With time nearly up, the exiles forwards took play deep into the Hove 22, but the resultant drop goal attempt drifted just to the right of the posts, and when that went begging, both sides had to settle for the draw.
This has been a harrowing season for Hove, who return to London 2 South-East hoping to stabilise after the ups and downs of the last couple of seasons. This match at least demonstrated they have talent in their ranks, and their recent results at home give further cause for encouragement. We wish them well in their quest.
The Cornish conundrum continues to the end - the only team in the league to have prevented Sevenoaks from landing a try bonus point, and yet the only one thus far not to beat Hove twice. Which side will turn up in the remaining match of the season is anyone's guess, but you can be sure the coaching team have already identified the improvements required to step things up again next season.

Match details

Match date

Sat 06 Apr 2019

Kickoff

15:00

Competition

London South 1

League position

8
London Cornish
14
Hove
Team overview
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