Director of Rugby Steve Pope knew this was going to be a tough game at home to second placed Sidcup. However having secured an impressive win away to Chobham, the previous week, morale was high
At the preceding Vice Presidents lunch chairman of rugby Steve Heard had made the observation that thirteen of the eighteen Cobham squad had come through to the senior team from the youth section. This demonstrates the one club ethos that now permeates at the Memorial grounds.
Cobham were playing their first game on the premier pitch this season following remedial work and Sidcup returned to Cobham where they had won the previous game in March 2015 convincingly 7-27
Perhaps it was their all white strip but the visitors looked an athletic side and the first five minutes were ominous for Cobham as ‘Cup’ had all the possession and territory. Matters didn't improve for Cobham when prop Ben Joyce was forced off with any injury bringing on Andy Alexander for virtually the whole match, a fitness test he would pass with flying colours.
Cobham absorbed the early pressure and benefiting from a consistently high penalty count against the visitors and bossing the scrums they got themselves back into the game. The first of a number of speedy breaks by winger Alex Aves were cheered on with approbation by the sated post lunch home supporters but it was not long before ‘Cup’ were exerting pressure requiring centre Charlie Mortimer to exercise a try saving tackle.
It took 25 minutes before the first score as the visitors were not to be denied, first winger Max O’Leary and then James Poland breaking the line and with Jardine converting the score line read 0-12 Taking the game further away from Cobham a long pass from Charlie Hopkins put Brunty in. 0-17 just before the break. Cobham have not always been at their best in the second half this season so turning this scoreline around would test this young side . With something to prove a well executed driving maul, that created territory, enabled hooker Jake McQuade to set up winger Aves, who showed his electric pace, to score in the corner. Fly half Oli Weir converting 7-17.
McQuade also featured in the next try which enabled Josh Brown to execute his trade mark spin to cross the Sidcup line to bring the scores closer at 12-17
Sidcup did not gain many penalties against a disciplined home side but when they did secure them they made them count, literally, as Jardine secured two kicks. 12-23. Cobham were fortunate that a backline break saw Cup knock on over the try line and revitalising their fight back with the arrival of veteran centre Cowell they won their line out ball to release full back Stuart Fee in the corner 17-23.
That was to be Cobham’s final score though as Sidcup now closed down the game adding a penalty, push over try and conversion in the last ten minutes.
3. Ben Joyce
4.Matt Koep
5.Joe Goddard
6.Doug Rodman
7.Nathan Spratt
8.Joe Davis
9.Robbie Kennard
10.Ollie Weir
11.Alex Aves
12.Charlie Rooke
13.Charlie Mortimer
14.Ryan Saunders
15 Stuart Fee
Substitutes :-
16.Andy Alexander
17.Ali Porter
18.Arran Cowell
Tries Aves, Brown,Fee
Conversion Weir
