Champagne stuff? Not quite...
Match report author Paul Hickson is Partner at Seniors' sponsor Menzies, to whom we are as ever hugely endebted. Contrary to the rumour Paul is not about to retire, put his feet up and relax; far from it.
You know it has been a good lunch when you miss the start of the match.
We had toasted Lionel Frewin royally on his retirement as Chairman of the CSA and had learnt of his penchant for champagne, so we were hoping he would be able to celebrate his retirement with a Cobham win and partake of a bottle or two.
The Beckenham coach (the motorised version) had parked up with its engine running, as if Beckenham were approaching the game as a 'smash and grab' and after some early pressure that's exactly what they did. A penalty in front of the posts, as a consequence of Billy's over exuberance at the breakdown, and it was 0-3.
As we have all seen before visitors to Cobham don't come down to admire the view of our Clubhouse, magnificent though it looked in the winter sunshine. Beckenham were enjoying some good possession and territory and their Coach (the human version) was prowling the try line providing encouragement and some darting runs from Beckenham's number 20 required some stiff resistance from Cobham.
There was a new look front row for Cobham this week with Paddy Seymour returning after injury and a place for Lee Raikes. Supported by Billy Jamie and the back row the Cobham pack started to claw their way back into the match with some forward drives and with half time approaching one of the drives paid off with a try for Lee, 5-3 and the chance of a conversion.
Tom Schofield rushed onto the pitch with Tim's new 'It makes the ball go further Tom' kicking tee and it did, but for the second kick in succession after last weeks match at Dover Tim hit the woodwork.
Dan Taylor was only playing his 3rd game of the season and had been energising the backline with his looping runs and soon after half time he released a perfectly timed pass to Disco for him to score under the posts. 10-3 swiftly converted to make it 12-3.
The home supporters were now positioned behind the Cobham posts, benefiting from some beverages in the sunshine and enjoying some banter with the Beckenham Coach. Cobham's tail was now up and after threatening to break the line all afternoon, Dan made it look easy with a further try, 17-3 but alas only further woodwork for Tim.
Its not sure whether what followed was Cobham being overcome by the exhaust fumes emanating from the bus or Beckenham remembered why they had travelled on it but they now put together some concerted pressure on Cobham and were rewarded with an unconverted try in the corner 17-8
Cobham had used two of their substitutes, Piers Gregory and Colin Cowan to stem the tide as Beckenham drove for the line again and again. Previous results between the teams had only been a score apart and it was looking as if that was how this match was going to end.
And then, with just minutes remaining, from deep inside the Cobham 22 Captain Jack intercepted and broke into open space with nothing between him and the Beckenham try line other than his lung capacity. It's at times like this that you find out who your mates are because just when it looked like there wasn't a breath left Nick Sutton was there on the outside to pick up the pass that made it a satisfying 22-8 result for Cobham. The crowd went wild.
The Beckenham Coach had his head in his hands at this point so it seemed a cruel time to ask him what he thought of the match........but I did. 'We just cant finish it off, three times Cobham got into our 22 and three times they scored'. Yep that probably sums the match up pretty well.
It wasn't 'vintage' Cobham but there was some 'stout' resistance and some 'champagne' moments for Lionel to savour as he retired into 'his' wonderful brainchild clubhouse.
