Following
Cobham's close encounter with Trojans last week, where they led for most of the
game but then held on to win by a point, this match followed a completely
opposite course and it was Old Elthamians holding off Cobham as the final
whistle blew.
Eltham
started strongly with their back line releasing very fast ball and their tall
and heavy pack showing Cobham that they are not the only team who can use
'truck and trailing' to good effect. It took a try saving tackle from
Murray Shepherd to prevent Eltham getting the first score and Cobham
were in their own half for the first 10 minutes. It was therefore very
much against the run of play when Chris Moreton fed by scrum half Robbie
Kennard off loaded to Jack Davison, playing his first 1st XV game for over
two years, for Cobham to take the lead. Ashton converted 7-0.
When
Cobham travelled to Foxbury last October they scored the first try but
lost 41-12 and Eltham are not third in the league for no reason. They
responded to this early set back and their backline now harried
mercilessly. Cobham put in some great tackles to withstand the pressure
but within 10 minutes Captain Johnny Williams had secured a brace of tries
7-12, as Eltham broke the Cobham defence and it started to look slightly
desperate when winger Owen Lewis scored the third try. 7-0 had very quickly
become 7-19.
Ashton
pulled a penalty back for Cobham 10-19 but a fourth first half try for
Eltham, this time by winger Tom White, further dented Cobham's hopes.
Converted and 10-26 wasn’t as competitive as Cobham would have wished.
However Eltham were yellow carded for an infringement on winger Billy Bates and
Cobham making the most of the reduced numbers were able to achieve one of their
text book pack driven tries. Leon Van Niekerk emerging with the ball in hand
and with full back Owen Ashton securing a wide conversion the first half
finished 17-26. Cobham were still in contention but would have to up their game
in the second half.
Eltham
have promotion hopes this Season and are chasing down Chichester and Guernsey
hard and immediately upset Cobham's second half plans when full back Pat Smith extended
the lead to 17-31 after five minutes. Its perhaps inevitable when you have a
significant lead to take your foot off the pedal, Cobham had done that the week
before, but that's not to take anything away from the home side in
what came next.
Constant
pressure on the Eltham line cheered on by what looked to be a
full complement of the Braemar boys should have merited a try but it
was instead the turn of the Cobham backs to show that they could also break the
line. Flower evaded his pursuers and allowed winger Billy Bates to do the rest,
running within the goal area to get as close to the posts to enable Flower to
convert 24-31- just one goal apart...... well for two minutes at
least before Eltham provided swift riposte in front of the clubhouse 24-36.
That elicited a collective 'Aargh' or something sounding equivalent from
the home supporters.
Turning
a Cobham side out each Saturday doesn’t happen by accident and working behind
the scenes is Physio Dave Silver. However getting the players onto the pitch is
just one part of the role, keeping them there during the match is another and
in this high intensity match several players went down. Cowell, Davison, Flower
to name but a few were able to continue thanks to his ’mercurial’
skills.
Cobham
well remember those immortal words 'If at first you don't succeed, try, try and
try again' ( William Edward Hickson 1803-1870) and what came next may be their
try of the season. It certainly will be for young Jules Kunkler. Cobham were at
half way courtesy of a typical rampaging run from Murray Shepherd who off
loaded to the rejuvenated Jack Davison and then came that moment every second
row always fears, receiving the ball with 20 yards to run for the line knowing
that the opposition have just you as their objective. They failed
and Kunkler scored his maiden try and Cobham's bonus fourth and
was mobbed by his team mates. Flower made no mistake and to an ecstatic
crowd it was 31-36 with ten minutes left.
Could
Cobham achieve just one more goal for an upset? Eltham obviously thought
they might because when they got the chance to kick a long range penalty that
would then require Cobham to score twice that's what they did. 31-39.
Captain
Cowell got as close as you can to cancelling that penalty out when his
kick swirled in the wind and hit the cross bar but despite enormous pressure on
the Eltham line Cobham could get no closer The relief in the Eltham cheers at
the end of the match was evidence of a hard fought game where due credit should
be given to the Ref who enabled the game to be flow.
Cobham
remain 8th in the league but only four clubs have scored more points than them
and they have more bonus points (14) than any other team but this is now
two leagues within one and 5 teams are within 5 points of each other.
Next
week second placed Guernsey away, Cobham have
won there before.
Paul
Hickson
1.
George Donoghue
2.Chris
Gibbons
3.Richard
Nunn
4.Jules
Kunkler
5.Billy
Davison
6.Jack
Davison
7.Murray Shepard
8.Leon
Van Niekerk
9.Robbie
Kennard
10.Luke
Flower
11.Billy
Bates
12.Kevin
Fisher
13.Arran Cowell
14.Chris
Moreton
15.Owen
Ashton
Subs
Tom
Harty
Dave
Flower
Arron
Smyth
Tries
Jack Davison,Van Nierkerk,Bates,Kunkler
Conversions
Ashton (2) Flower (2)
Penalties
Ashton (1)
