21-21 with a cold arctic blast...
This season match reports continue to be authored by Paul Hickson who is a Partner at Seniors' sponsor Menzies, to whom we are as ever hugely endebted. If you like Paul's creative writing, you should also try his creative accounting...
With just one point between the sides and the previous match having been decided by the last kick of the match, this was always going to be close and so it proved to be.
The first observation, upon arriving at Thanet's grounds is the sound of seagulls, the second, the biting wind. Broadstairs in winter has its own micro climate namely 'expletive cold'.
Nick Sutton had returned at fullback, Andy to the front row and Billy was directing operations in the pack. Lordie Lee, sometime prop, second row, centre and indeed wing was in the back row this week at 6, but the shirt didn't fit so he wore number 8 instead.
The Thanet pitch has a slope and that gave the home side the first half advantage but it was Cobham who were taking the attack into the Wanderers half after Thanet missed the opportunity to go ahead with a penalty after 7 minutes. Oli Brown wearing number 10 was kicking effectively but then slightly against the run of play Wanderers number 13, Tom Ash, burst through from deep inside their half to create some stunning interplay with wing Richard Smith to score probably the best try Cobham have conceded this season. The Thanet Clubhouse overlooks the pitch and the balcony was packed, cue thunderous applause, converted it was 7-0.
Shaken and no doubt stirred Cobham came back with Alexander making his presence felt in the scrum (and by the way looking resplendent in the teams new maroon reverse strip kit,he was certainly providing the sponsors with their logo writ large) but it was the Thanet backline, who have obviously played many games together, who was making the plays and now it was the turn of centre Plumridge to break through and feed to Ash only for him to knock on. A second missed penalty for fly half Eldridge and Cobham probably felt turning around just one score down would be acceptable and then, as they say it all kicked off....
First an explosive run by Oli Brown, linking with Chris Moreton who was supported by Billy and with the Thanet line in sight he offloaded to Lee for him to touch down for his first try of the season. Captain Cowell brought the scores level 7-7. Half time was beckoning but from a Thanet scrum on the half way line their backline fired once again but this time it was a virtuoso performance from Plumridge, collecting his own kick ahead and with Eldridge converting Thanet had restored their lead.In the blink of an eye they had extended it to 21-7 as their forwards powered over soon after the restart.
Turning around with the wind and slope, nay dip, in their favour the Braemar/Cobham supporters still felt this wasn't all over but Cobham had lost Chris Gibbons at half time with an injury so Callum Stott made his first team debut at hooker. After a baptism of fire in his first scrum and line out he then proceeded to win four consecutive scrums in the bottom right hand corner of the pitch as the pack piled on the pressure and Cobham were rewarded with a Matt Johnson try from the foot of the scrum. Captain Cowell held his nerve to convert 21-14.
Thanet came back but they were not being given the same space as in the first half and the tackles being made were crunching, as when Cowell stopped his counterpart Ash, in his tracks.
Ackroyd and Nunn made storming runs down the centre of the pitch into Thanet territory and Brown kept the pressure on with long range kicks to touch. Rob Frost came on for the injured Coates and as play moved across to the other corner, having won a line out and secured a scrum Thanet gave away a penalty that was to prove expensive. Their Captain, Simon Harris' enthusiasm got the better of him in challenging Robbie Kennard for the ball and was yellow carded for his offside. Down to 7 in the pack Thanet desperately attempted to avoid a further push over try, so desperate in fact that the Ref awarded a penalty try which Cowell converted and we had a 21-21 score line with 15 minutes to go.
To their credit Thanet came back hard and survived the ten minutes as 14 without looking to concede a further score. As the Ref signalled the last play a penalty was awarded to Cobham on the half way line. Was this to be a déjà vu moment for Cobham, alas the attempt fell short and the final whistle blew.
No doubt both sides probably felt that they had lost a match they could have won rather than having secured an exceptionally entertaining high scoring draw and with two points gained they both moved one place further up the league.
With Sutton and Epsom securing a surprise win, next weeks home match against them, after the sold out Ex Players lunch, will be another key fixture for Cobham.
