Cobham win the League

With a magnificent victory, their sixteenth in the London Division 4 league this season, Cobham's unbeaten run has now resulted in the team winning the championship of the league. Achieving promotion two weeks ago, it has now proved to be the best season Cobham has had for many years and could be one of the best set of results any side has ever achieved at this level.

The match against Webridge Vandals was typical of the high level of performance that skipper Billy Davison's side has achieved this season. After scoring three tries and a couple of penalties in the first half Cobham were unstoppable and were then totally dominant in the second half, scoring another five tries to exceed fifty points. Weybridge Vandals had a good side but they were unable to match the pace of the Cobham play and the support that both Cobham backs and forwards had for each other in the loose play.

Half backs Spencer Franks and Dan Taylor dominated play and both made impressive individual breaks which resulted in tries but it was Cobham's back row of Jack Davison, James Green and Gavin Hart that were far too strong for the visitors, supporting the Cobham backs and also defending any Vandals attacks with vigour.

At the start of the match Cobham knew that victory in this match would give them the title, and commenced play with vigour and pace. After defending well against an early Vandals attack where Nick Sutton and Ben Stonehill combined well to run the ball out of defence, Cobham were soon on the attack. Having been awarded a penalty, Dan Taylor found touch close to the Vandals line and after Cobham won the lineout the forwards drove unstoppably to the line, Mark Bennett scoring the first try and Dan Taylor converting from the touchline.

Cobham continued to attack well, Gavin Hart making good ground at speed, and after a good break by Steve Burton in midfield, Vandals gave away a penalty for Dan Taylor to extend the lead with a penalty kick. Then good interactive support play by backs and forwards took play the length of the field and having stretched the Vandals defence with a pacy charge by Jack Davison, the move was finished off with Gavin Hart scoring a good try. Cobham continued to dominate play and a third try was scored by James Green at the end of another end to end move involving the whole team.

A break by Dan Taylor then took play deep into the Vandals half and the Cobham fly half scored the penalty to give Cobham a 23-0 lead at half time.

With victory clearly in sight is was possible that Cobham would relax but quite the reverse, the second half commenced with one of the best individualistic tries of the season. From a scrum on the half way line Gavin Hart picked up and passed to Spencer Franks whose well timed pass to Dan Taylor allowed the fly half to cut inside the defensive line and then outsprint the cover defence, running a full fifty metres to score under the posts. Cobham were awarded another penalty and after the forwards were held as they drove for the line, the ball was moved out to the threequarters where Martin Green made good ground in midfield, moving the ball to Ben Stonehill who took the final pass to sprint into the corner for a good try.

A good kick ahead by Dan Taylor took play inside the Vandals 22, Imile Keyser winning the Vandals lineout, and when the ball was released to Spencer Franks he made a sharp break down the blindside, sprinted to the line, and when faced by the full back passed to Jack Davison who dived over for a try. Gavin Hart scored his second try following an attack close to the Vandals line, and Tristan Lee scored the final try at the end of the match after Cobham completed a 50 metre move initially started by Nick Sutton.

Cobham could not have played better to confirm championship of the league and now have only two league matches left in the best season ever for the club.

Cobham: N Sutton, C Perry, M Green, S Burton, B Stonehill; D Taylor, S Franks; T Lee, M Bennett, A Darroch-Warren B Davison (Capt.), I Keyser, J Green, J Davison, G Hart

Report by Tony Maddocks