1st XV
Matches
Sat 05 Oct 2019  ·  London 1 South
Beckenham
42
26
London Cornish RFC
1st XV
Tries: C Crozier, M Hakes, J MowattConversions: T WhelanPenalties: T Whelan (3)
Topsy-Turvy Season Continues as Cornish Fall at Beck!

Topsy-Turvy Season Continues as Cornish Fall at Beck!

Dickon Moon8 Oct 2019 - 13:41
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https://www.londoncornishrfc.c

Kent side deservedly land their first win.

London Cornish continued their topsy-turvy start to the season when they became the first team beaten by newly promoted Beckenham in Kent on Saturday. The last few months have seen the rapid acquisition of new players at Cornish and, with a significant number of key players in the front V yet to arrive, this match amply demonstrated just why they are required as depth is still occasionally an issue for the exiles. For their part, the hosts will have been delighted to be on the board at the 5th attempt in London 1 South, and fully merited their win once they worked out in the 2nd half that they could guarantee a constant supply of set piece ball from their own, and their visitors put in.
On a dry, overcast day on a decent sized pitch, Cornish opened well, Oli Low pinching a home lineout, and then seeing his side win a penalty bang in front for fly-half Tom Whelan to nudge the visitors into a lead within the first couple of minutes. Beckenham levelled on 10 minutes, when the exiles were caught offside in midfield, but gave the lead back on 13 when Whelan landed another shot. Though Cornish had the early territory, neither side had landed a telling blow until they produced a very injudicious miss-pass on their own 22, it picked off by one of 3 Bs backs lining it up, the 7 points a formality. Whelan again landed a penalty to reduce the arrears to 1 following a James La Broy lineout claim, and a Matt Hakes dart to the 22. Beckenham stretched the lead on 22 minutes with a long range penalty as Cornish came under pressure in the tight, but the exiles responded and nearly fashioned room for Lawrence Elliott wide right, but a foot slipped into touch and the danger was cleared. However, the visitors did not have to wait long to strike. On 28 minutes Sam Matanle found no one guarding a ruck on the home 22, slipping the ball inside to fellow back row Matt Chambers, who drew the last man and fed the final member of the exiles back row Cam Crozier, who dived over for a try converted by Whelan, his side now 16-13 ahead. In the remaining minutes of the half, Beckenham hammered on the door, repeatedly trying to move their rolling maul, but unable to gain any momentum despite being given plenty of opportunity by errant exiles lineouts. Cornish would have been happy enough with their 3 point half-time lead.
Beckenham caught Cornish cold at the restart, a series of missed tackles giving the home side the opportunity to send their left wing over for a well converted try, a lead the home side would not relinquish in the game. They nearly added to their tally on 45 minutes when the same lock again broke through, but a fine last ditch tackle from exiles Skip Ed Carne saw a penalty won for holding on just 5 out from the tryline. Cornish withdrew Low at this point, Jasper Mowatt on for his debut and Tony Pellow standing in at tight-head, the exiles front now consisting entirely of hookers. Unable to gain possession, even from their own feeds, the visitors fell further behind on 49 when a home prop burst through and fed a back to dive over under the posts for another converted try, the score out to 27-16. Worse was to follow, for with their next attack on 54 minutes, the Kent side landed their bonus point try, 2 missed tackles out wide giving their right wing the chance to round towards the posts for another 7 pointer. On came Nick Goss for Andy Hakes at this point, Chambers moving into the row. However, in the next phase of play, Bs kicked a penalty from point blank range, Chambers injured forcing Andy Hakes back on, Crozier moving to 8. Whelan was also injured in this phase, him replaced by Sam Vaughan. Cornish had to respond, and the architect was Matanle, the exiles best player in the opening rounds of the season. He broke from his own 22, and then linked with Jake Slade to take play to the opposite 22. Andy Munro-Lott fed the rewind to put Matt Hakes in the slither of room wide left that the current Player of the Season needs, him evading the last tackle to dive over for an unconverted try. When Beckenham lost a player to the bin shortly after the restart, Cornish sensed a potential pathway back into the match, but a disastrous passage of play saw them lose an attacking line out, then make a complete horlicks of fielding a deep kick, Beckenham on hand to scoop up the ball and plant it on the line for an unconverted try wide left, to take the score out to 42-21. For the remaining 10 minutes or so of the match with Beckenham out of sight, Cornish re-found their mojo, winning a series of penalties, but both Carne and Dan Phoenix (the latter when under the posts) saw the ball dislodged in the act of scoring, and it was left to the debutant Mowatt to land a telling blow from a rolling maul, this try also not improved. It was in keeping with the exiles display that the final act saw a Dave Funston burst see Beckenham pinged, and then when the penalty was kicked to 5 out down the left flank, the lineout throw missed its intended target and the danger was cleared.
Beckenham have had a tough baptism back in London 1 South after an absence of half a dozen years. They have a decent set up, are well supported and will hope this win is the launching pad for them to climb the fledgling table. If only someone would claim that post match raffle prize?!?
No amount of absentees can mask a disappointing second forty from Cornish, and they will seek to bounce back from this reverse quickly. It should be little surprise that their form is unpredictable at present, and until all of the new lads are fully bedded in, expect the unexpected for a while yet at LCRFC!

Match details

Match date

Sat 05 Oct 2019

Kickoff

15:00

Competition

London 1 South

League position

11
London Cornish
12
Beckenham
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Kit Supplier - VX3