Cornish Return to Winning Ways!

Two sides struggling for form and consistency met at Dartfordians Bourne Road HQ in London 1 South on Saturday. In the end, it was the much changed visitors London Cornish who took the day, winning by 3 tries, a conversion and a penalty to 1 try, a conversion and two penalties, to earn a very welcome 4 points.
Cornish made 10 changes to the squad from the previous league game, with 4 players making their first starts of the season, 3 of whom were making debuts for the club. Up front prop Joe Lynch was given a debut alongside the returning Will Carew-Gibbs, Andy Hakes was recalled in the row, and Niko Mirosevic-Sorgo also returned at 8. With fly-half Tom Whelan having signed for Rosslyn Park in the week, new signing from Wimbledon RFC, Alex Cruz was given a debut at 10 alongside his brother and fellow Gibraltar International at 9, and former Clifton RFC back Chris Wright was given a debut out wide, with Dan Phoenix and Dave Funston also returning to the side. On the bench there was a long awaited return for Jamie Robert-Tissot, and a return for lock Dave Chalkley, whose work commitments had prevented him from taking any more than a bit-part involvement to this point of the season. Whilst these lads had not had much time playing together, they would certainly present a more physical threat than in previous weeks.
Like Cornish, Darts 1s pitch will not be ready for use until next season, so this match was played on the other side of the line of trees, a decent surface in a natural amphitheatre. Rain began falling as the players ran out, the gloom meaning both sides would be grateful for the exiles utilising their bright gold change strip! Cornish began well, playing towards the treeline in the opening period, Skipper Ed Carne and Funston combining on 4 minutes and only a forward pass preventing further damage on the home 22. With the Cruz brothers arrowing a series of grubbers into Darts territory, much of the opening quarter was played in the home half, the exiles probing for openings and missing a penalty on 11 minutes. Needing something for all their territorial dominance, it took a further 10 minutes for the visitors to score. A penalty was kicked to the left hand corner, lock Pete Calvert won the ball, and Carew-Gibbs was on hand to dive low over the line for a trademark try converted by Phoenix. Conceding a pen at the restart, Cornish soon found themselves under pressure, and when the home centre cut back on an angle on 24 minutes, he scythed his way clean through to reach out and score by the posts, the home kicker levelling things up. Back came Cornish, and pressure at the base from Freddie Cruz forced an arrow to miss its intended target, and the home side to carry over their own line. At the scrum, Darts were pinged, and Phoenix gave his side the lead back with the penalty. Within 2 minutes the scores were level again, the visitors pinged for offside at a maul, and the home kicker punishing the offence with the 3. In the remaining minutes of the half, Darts twice gained good field position, but first NMS and then WCG won penalties for holding, 10 all just about right on the balance of play.
Darts gained the lead for the first and only time in the match on 45 minutes, when a charged down kick forced Cornish to concede a kickable penalty for offside, and this score predicated a couple of changes, JRT on for Theobald, and Sam Vaughan on at centre for Wright, Carne moving to full back, Phoenix to the wing. Vaughan’s carrying was to form a feature of the remaining minutes of the half, and on 50 minutes the exiles worked room to give Funston a smidgeon of room to angle between two defenders and sprint over for an unconverted try wide left, Cornish bringing on Chalkley for Andy Hakes in the row following the score. On 55 minutes Darts lost a man to the bin for a late, high tackle, and shortly afterward were marched 10 back for comments made to the referee, this last offence made worse by the fact it reversed a penalty in decent field position. Gradually, Cornish forced Darts to attack from deeper and deeper, returning kicks with interest and forcing a high tackle count on the hosts. On 62 minutes, a Calvert rumble took play into the Darts 22 right hand side, and when the Cruz’s sent the ball along the line, only the last pass prevented a score, it knocked on with a clear overlap outside. The exiles back row of Sam Matanle, Jasper Mowatt and NMS were tackling like dervishes, and on 73 minutes more backchat saw Darts concede another penalty, but this attempt slid wide, Cornish still 15-13 to the good. Twice in these remaining minutes the exiles knocked on when their maul was making yards, but the Kent side could not clear their lines and were pinned in their own half in the gathering gloom. On 79 minutes, and with the referee indicating last play, Cornish had the nudge on a scrum on the Darts 22. NMS burst from the base, beating the first man before flicking a pass outside to Matanle, arriving at pace and on the angle to sprint clear and over wide left for the game clinching try. Though it wasn’t converted, Cornish had the win at 20-13.
Dartfordians are about to be joined by a new Head Coach, which will make them a tougher proposition in the next few weeks, but there is nothing wrong with their squad depth, their 2s turning over Tonbridge Juddians 2s on an adjoining pitch. The clubhouse atmosphere was a credit to this community club, and we wish them well in turning their season around. Whether they do or not, the spirit in their camp is great.
Cornish breathe a sigh of relief at landing the win and at not picking up any additional injuries to add to the list. The value of this win won’t really become clear until the festive break, but it’s a start, and it will be interesting to see where it goes from here…