1sts miss out in Cup Challenge

Match report author Paul Hickson is Partner at Seniors' sponsor Menzies. We are as ever hugely endebted for all his reports this season, as well as the continued support of Menzies.

Two Cup matches in less than 4 days was always going to prove a big ask and so it proved to be at Imber Court in the Surrey Trophy final against London Irish Amateurs.

The 'Wild Geese' had just won promotion to our league following 16 consecutive league victories so this was  going to be a hard fought game. Although it was the May Bank holiday the expression 'nice weather for ducks' came to mind as everyone sheltered in the stand from the constant drizzle. Presumably the saying is as appropriate for 'wild geese' and should have been an omen for what followed.

Cobham were unable to field Dan Taylor following his injury mid week against Warlingham  (but it was good to see him as a spectator albeit on crutches in the stand)  so there was a debut for 17 year old Charlie Rooke on the wing with Tim Green moving to inside centre. The subs bench was also looking more youthful than usual with several young guns awaiting their opportunity. As will be seen they all got to represent Cobham as the match progressed.

The teams spent the first ten minutes sounding each other out and missing penalties on a pitch cut up by two previous matches on the day. Cobham could not take any advantage of a London Irish yellow card for their back row number 6 despite some looping runs from Disco MacCallum and the first penalty went to Irish 3-0.

Kevin Fisher provided a try saving tackle on the Irish wing number 11 and soon after there was a try disallowed for the very unIrish sounding number 10 Mike English. Cobham's Welshman with an Irish sounding name Tim Green was then able to restore the equilibrium to make it 3-3.

Captain Jack and Matt Johnson were scragging the Irish back line when ever they could but despite the Cobham pack winning up front Irish were always looking dangerous with the ball in hand. Number 13 Ben Kitching always looking to break the line and it needed some tough defence from Cobham to withstand the pressure, even more so when prop Richard Nunn was yellow carded. (A decision Tom Schofield could only describe as 'bizarre'). From the penalty Irish were close enough to edge in front 6-3 but just before the Cobham substitutes started to make their appearances Tim held his nerve to get Cobham back to even steven 6-6.

As perhaps a reflection of it being the end of the long season injuries saw Aeren Young on for Alex Cooke, Rob Frost for Jamie Durward and Will Merrit for Will Avery and we hadn't reached half time.

At one point it looked as if a lack of balls might abandon the game as the leylandi hedge opposite the stand swallowed up the defensive kicks from both sides and thoughts were turning to what happened in the event of a draw. Tom said that there was to be no extra time and the match would be decided on try count back so that all sounded very Irish and didn't get us very far.

So as if to answer the question Irish put together a backline move that saw the dangerous Mr Kitching into the corner to make it 11-6 for the first try of the match in the 61st minute. You could hear Captain Jack's exhortations to the team from the stand.

More Cobham substitutions to provide fresh legs, Josh Brown, James McDonald and making his first team debut, Harry 'the bag' Cairns but as the clock ticked down you could see that one score was all there was between the teams and so it was to prove as the final whistle blew.

Cobham have enjoyed highs and some lows this season and will not have wanted to lose this match but the spirit of the team is extremely strong and they will look back on the season with immense pride. The WAGS will now feel able to produce the lists of DIY assignments they have been producing all winter for the summer Saturdays that now follow (but be quick because there are actually only 18 of them).

Whilst comparing Cobham's fortunes with the American Civil Rights movement may not necessarily be apropos with the news that the Under 17s had emphatically won the RFU National Cup match against Bedford 55-3 we end with a Martin Luther King quote

Cobham Squad

1 Andy Alexander

2 Alex Cook (Aeren Young)

3 Richard Nunn (Harry Cairns)

4 Tristan Lee

5 Jamie Durward (Rob Frost)

6 Ben Creed (Josh Brown)

7 Matt Johnson

8 Jack Davison (Captain)

9 Will Avery (Will Merrett)

10 David MacCallum (Vice Captain)

11 Charlie Rooke

12 Tim Green

13 Kevin Fisher

14 Chris Moreton

15 Nick Sutton (James MacDonald)

16 Harry Cairns

17 Aeren Young

18 Rob Frost

19 Josh Brown

20 Will Merrett

21 Andy Flower

22 James MacDonald

Scorers: Tim Green 2 Penalties