Sidcup win but Cobham make it hard going!

SIDCUP 32 PTS COBHAM 22 PTS

Sidcup defeated the visitors from Surrey at Crescent Farm on Saturday on a windy, sunny afternoon by 2 goals, 3 tries and a dropped goal to a goal and 3 tries.

Your Correspondent regrets the absence of a report of the victory at Sutton and Epsom last week. Unfortunately Mrs Correspondent was rushed into hospital in the early hours of Saturday morning with appendicitis. She has promised to try not to do this again in the rugby season. There was a concern on her part that her golf would be affected but she was reassured by the surgeon that she would be able to chip and putt soon. As, in the past, her chipping and putting was pretty useless at the best of times, it was difficult to see how removing an appendix would lead to an improvement. Another surprise greeted your Correspondent when he arrived at Crescent Farm for the Cobham match as he was informed that Danny Mizen had withdrawn with what was alleged to be a strained hamstring- surely one of the most unlikely injuries of the season. Mike Elliott stepped up from the bench and took over the captaincy.

Sidcup began the match playing uphill and into the wind. They were soon on the attack and nearly scored with a driving maul. Although Cobham stopped this on the line, the ball reached Michael Ubee who opened the scoring with a dropped goal. It was then Cobham’s turn to exert pressure which was only relieved by a penalty forced by aggressive defence by Colin Cooper. Sidcup nearly scored a try when a pin-point cross-kick by Ubee was gathered by Sam Carmen who fed Donal Nevin who drove for the line but was stopped just short.

The game was flowing from end to end and, following an excellent kick by visiting scrum half Rob Kennard, who was a thorn in Sidcup’s side throughout, another potential try scoring situation was only saved by excellent covering by Nick Gilbert. Although the pressure seemed to be relieved with a good box kick by Jamie Cutler, the chase was a bit half-hearted; Cobham winger Owen Ashton was able to run the ball back and eventually the visitors created a huge overlap to score in the corner. Sidcup immediately went back on the attack. From a scrum on the twenty two, Ubee chipped ahead and, following a defensive error, Richard Roddis gathered the ball to score.

Five minutes later Sidcup extended their lead when another good box kick by Cutler was followed up by Carmen who put the catcher under pressure. The ball was spilt but collected by Julian Poff who touched down. The exchanging of scores continued when Kennard swooped on a loose Sidcup pass and prop Richard Nunn crossed for a try which Luke Flower converted.

Half-time was reached with Sidcup a single point ahead. Although they had played well for long periods, they had not turned sustained pressure into points and Cobham had been quick to latch onto some wayward passing. Cobham had looked good with the ball in hand and had an effective driving maul.

As Sidcup were about to have the advantage of the wind- it dropped and, with almost the first action of the half, Cobham nearly scored when Kennard knocked on a chip ahead with the line at his mercy. Sidcup’s defence was not as sound as it normally is and it took ten minutes before they mounted any pressure on the Cobham line. A long driving maul was stopped just short but at the expense of Cobham conceding a penalty. From the line-out, a series of pick and drives ended with Mike Elliott touching down. Jim Hardy, who had unusually missed his previous two kicks, converted.

Sidcup were now on top. A charged down kick on the half-way line nearly led to a Richard Day score but the lead was extended when, following another driving maul, Jon Cosh insinuated himself into his customary position. Hardy’s conversion took Sidcup more than two scores ahead. A lovely move involving Ubee, Hardy and Day nearly resulted in another score before Poff emerged from a driving maul and somehow managed to drive through half the Cobham pack to reach the line.

Not for the first time this season, Sidcup seemed to relax. Cobham took full advantage of this scored a try following a number of pick and drives. They then gained the try scoring bonus point their efforts deserved when they scored their fourth try after some slick passing with the last move of the match.

For long periods of the match, Sidcup played very well but they did let Cobham back into the game when they should have closed it out. Sam Carmen and Alex Isaacs enabled the scrum to dominate and Donal Nevin, Mike Elliott and Colin Cooper ensured line-out ball. Jamie Cutler, Michael Ubee and Jim Hardy kicked well. Nick Gilbert played well before being injured and Julian Poff’s stock rises with each game for Sidcup. Next week Sidcup travel to Basingstoke who are hot on their heels in the league.