EDF SENIOR VASE 4th ROUND
08/12/07
HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM v LONDON CORNISH

Hammersmith & Fulham 20 - London Cornish 19

London Cornish contrived to lose a game they should have won as their 9th away tie in their last 10 national cup rounds saw them exit the Senior Vase for this season. Cornish will reflect that the 3 sin bins in the match and an utter failure to comprehend the interpretation of the rules by the referee cost them dear, for they were in front for long periods of the game and failed to take advantage of a very strong wind in their favour in the second period.

It is frustrating to report that Cornish had to make 8 changes to the squad that had been so successful in the previous round, 5 through injury plus 3 unenforced absences disrupting the continuity that had aided the clubs recent revival. On a heavy pitch in dark, overcast conditions Cornish played into the wind in the opening half and for the second week running were quickly out of the traps. Fly half Dan Pollard chipped a kick into space on 4 minutes and after gathering the ball, the clearance kick by a hesitant home back was charged down by wing George Bramble, who recovered the ball, handed off a tackle and dived over to score wide left. The conversion attempt was always going to require a Wilkinsonesque strike and though it was well struck, it faded across the posts. Cornish dominated for the next 15 minutes, quick rucking providing good ball to drive further up the pitch, but on 19 minutes conceded a penalty for a high tackle. H&F kicked the ball to the corner and a 14 man drive saw them crash over on the clubhouse side of the pitch, the conversion with the wind a formality. Though now behind, the visitors looked the dominant side in most aspects of the game and they regained the lead on 18 minutes when Pollard struck a penalty into the wind. From the restart open side Rod Petre drove deep into home territory and when quick ball was recycled, it was worked wide to Bramble who this time was tackled into touch. Still Cornish pressed, a kick to the corner now setting up a great position five metres from the home line. As Cornish rolled the maul toward the line, it was dropped by the home side and they lay right across the top of the ball. A Cornish forward tried to ruck the offending player off the ball only for the referee to deem the offence dangerous and send the exile for a 10 minute break. Repreated offences by the H&F side saw them concede a further kickable penalty on 32 minutes, Pollard again finding his range to extend the lead to 11-7. With Dave Hill and Chris Milne securing decent lineout ball from the quality throwing in of hooker Mike Allewell, Cornish were producing decent quality ball, but the exceptionally strong wind made it difficult to put real width on the ball and the hard yards were having to be made close in. At scrum time Cornish were profligate on a number of occasions in attacking positions during this opening half, the ball either knocked on or flick passes misplaced to reduce the attacking threat. Finally, on 36 minutes the exiles gained greater reward for their domination. Skipper Rob Aird drove into midfield and the ball was worked from right to left along the H&F 22. The recalled Josh Bartley-Smith saw a smidgeon of a gap in the oppo backline and accelerated through, a despairing last ditch tackle not enough to prevent him planting the ball over the whitewash for the score, the conversion attempt again sliding wide. Crucially, the home side managed to win a penalty just before half time, which their kicker slotted. The half time whistle went with Cornish 16-10 to the good.

Cornish were forced into a change at the break, St Ives man Ben Wheeler replaced at prop by Truro man James Turnbull who joined the returning Ben Shribman up front. Seemingly buoyed by being so close to Cornish despite barely spending any time in the visiting half in the opening period, it was H&F who started the second period the sharper. Reducing their gameplan to 10 man rugby, they drove close in to rucks and mauls to gain ground, helped by a series of penalties given against Cornish for a plethora of alleged offences. With Cornish reduced a man up front, the home side set another rolling maul up and drove over the line on the left flank to reduce the arrears to 1 on 44 minutes. Both flanker Will Ho and Allewell suffered knocks in this opening section of the game, and shortly afterward Ho departed on 50 minutes, Ashley Holloway coming on at hooker and Allewell moving to blind side. H&F thought they had scored again on 54 minutes but were called back for crossing down the right flank. When Cornish did clear their lines, they were now unable to secure possession from the following set piece, allowing the home side to build phases of play. Apart from a sharp break by wing Mike Harvey down one wing, there were few opportunities for the backs in half, neither side able to break down the other out wide. With their man back on the pitch, Cornish began to retain possession, and after a fine kick from Pollard and a scrambled clearance, H&F were penalised for a man again lying all over the ball just yards from the home line, the incredulous Cornish support unable to comprehend how that offence was not worthy of a card. Pollard stepped up to ease his side out to a 19-15 lead with 20 minutes left. Back came the home side, the exiles seemingly penalised at every breakdown and the referee having one of those tough days when he was checking behind his back for one offence when another was happening in front of him, H&F particularly cute at getting away with this. The exiles made another change now, bringing on the evergreen Jim Chilcott for Milne at 8. On 68 minutes, H&F were given a 6 phase advantage for a penalty, at odds with all previous advantages played in the match. When play was finally brought to a halt, an astonished Cornish side saw a back row player consigned to the bin for an offside. The penalty was then kicked to the corner and as the referee checked the drive on one wide, the ball broke the other. A scramble of players were on the floor over the try line, a try deemed scored despite the impossible position from which the referee could have seen the play. The kick was missed but the home side were now ahead. A final change saw the exiles move full back Adam McVicar into 9 for Mike Dardis, Tim Mucken making a welcome return to first team action at 15. With 6 minutes left Bartley-Smith latched onto a spilt home ball on half way and fly hacked through. He gather the ball just yards from the home line only to be felled within sniffing distance of the whitewash. On this occasion the absolutely no advantage was played for Cornish to retrieve quick ball, a scrum 5 awarded instead. The ball was worked to inside centre Henry Mitchell on the crash and as a hand came in from the home side to scoop the ball back on the floor in the ruck, the referee saw another offence against the visitors to give H&F the chance to clear their lines. They ran down the clock playing sensible rugby, both sides reduced a further man following a touchline fracas with just seconds left. The final whistle went on a disappointing afternoon for Cornish, their inability to keep 15 men on the pitch ultimately to blame for their defeat.

H&F have risen a few divisions in recent seasons and have a similar set up to Cornish, changing and playing facilities in one location, post match meals in a pub. To compound the felony of dumping Cornish out of the Cup, not only does their fly half have a pony tail, the Wheatsheef had no real ale or bitter on tap, a truly heinous state of affairs! There are some decent people running their club, and we wish them well in the next round. The young Cornish side simply have to learn from this defeat. The season bares a startling comparison to their first one in the regional leagues, the side struggling to come to terms with the division early on and knocked out of the Cup before Christmas. In every season since the current coaching team have been in place, Cornish have never been higher placed in the respective league than the position attained on the final day of the season, testament to the fact that this side just gets stronger and stronger as the season goes on. With no Cup now to concentrate on, the focus returns to securing the highest place in the league that the club has ever had in its history.

LCRFC – Adam McVicar, George Bramble, Josh Bartley-Smith, Henry Mitchell, Mike Harvey, Dan Pollard, Mike Dardis (Tim Mucken), Chris Milne (Jim Chilcott), Rod Petre, Will Ho (Ashley Holloway), Rob Aird (Capt.), Dave Hill, Ben Shribman, Mike Allewell, Ben Wheeler (James Turnbull).


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