If you had been close to the Memorial grounds last Saturday afternoon, just after 4.15 pm, you might have heard an audible sigh of relief from the home supporters as Cobham secured their first win in two months. And what a win it was with 7 tries, 4 conversions and their highest points total of the season.
It may have been that Cobham's time had just come, it could have been that they were welcoming back Leon Van Niekerk and Gibbons from injury or it could have been their alternative pink, sorry that should read red strip that they were wearing.
Key to the Cobham game plan was to ensure that they did not allow any points to be scored by the visitors in the first, second, fifth or tenth minutes of the match, which had been their undoing in previous weeks.
Not only did they achieve that they also earned turnovers and penalties in those crucial opening minutes. Then after Rodman was adjudged to have been held up Nunn went powering over to secure what is fast becoming his standard try a match. Ashton converted and at 7-0 Cobham were ahead in a match for the first time since ...well at least since Schofield starting growing his moustache..
Thanet had enjoyed their best win of the Season the previous week, beating Haywards Heath, so it wasn't surprising that five minutes later Andy Letts provided a swift Thanet riposte by also running over, converted the score was 7-7
Donoghue and Nunn continued to poach ball and Thanet kept giving away penalties and although Ashton missed his second penalty attempt Cobham secured a great second score when they stole the ball from a Thanet line out and Rob Kennard broke to feed Luke Flower, Ashton converting 14-7
Leon was making his presence felt time and again from either the back of the scrum or running in from deep into the backline but it was apparent that everyone in the Cobham team was raising their game and they ended the first half where they had spent most of the first 40 minutes, in Thanet's half.
More and more Cobham supporters were arriving now, as if news was travelling and it was pleasing to see so many ex 1st XV players coming down to support That's what was needed when from the kick off Thanet capitalised on a knock on for Tom Ash to race through, converted it was 14-14 and game on.
Billy Bates then completed a powerful backline move to touch down in the corner 19-14 but this was followed by Thanet entering Cobham's half for a sustained period of pressure that required all of Cobham's defensive qualities to withstand. When Thanet were penalised and Flower provided a relieving kick that was probably the turning point of the game.
There followed a period of play which saw first Fish go over, after he had broken clear, for the bonus try, 24-14 converted to 26-14 and then after Thanet were yellow carded Van Niekerk scored a much deserved converted try to take Cobham clear 33-14.
Cobham were now playing with confidence that only winning can provide and when Captain Cowell secured a turnover, Fish fed Harty who danced his way over the line in the corner, 38-14 Ashton was unlucky to hit the post.
Cobham substituted Andy Alexander for Nunn and James Green for Dave Baker but within minutes they were having to put Ryan Saunders on as Greenie suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder from a ferocious tackle. Thanet were now playing for their pride as they attempted to score some consolation points but the final score of the game came from Cobham, their seventh try as Bates scored his second in the same corner.
Cobham now have more bonus points 9 than any other team in the league and they have climbed above Dover, their next opponents, who they play away on 3rd December in what promises to be another crucial game.
1stxv Squad
1 Richard Nunn
2 Chris Gibbons
3 George Donoghue
4 Guy Sears
5 Billy Davison
6 Doug Rodman
7 Dave Baker
8 Leon Van Niekerk
9 Rob Kennard
10 Luke Flower
11 Billy Bates
12 Arran Cowell (Captain)
13 Kevin Fisher
14 Tom Harty
15 Owen Ashton
16 Andy Alexander
17 James Green
18 Ryan Saunders
Tries
Richard Nunn 1
Leon Van Niekerk 1
Luke Flower 1
Tom Harty 1
Kevin Fisher 1
Billy Bates 2
Conversions
Owen Ashton 4
Paul Hickson
