5th placed Cornish host 4th placed Tottonians in London 3 S/W today. With out pitches under water following the Rosslyn Park 7s, the match is switched to Wimbledon RFC with a 1500 kick off.

Good luck today Bay - see the job to the finish!

Thanks Dickon, hope your game goes well and you get the win

Tottonians, eh?  Sounds like my sort of team.  Scrummage anyone?  

Not good news from the capital as Cornish lost to Tottonians 20-10. Dickon will no doubt give us the run down in his usual excellent report

Top Totty Tottonians, clearly

Poor performance. Expect changes in personnel and attitude for our remaining games. Full report to follow tonight...

Mixed feelings with this result as Tottonians only play about a mile away from where I live in Southampton.

Sounds like a hard week's training in store for the lads eh Dickon??!!!

LONDON 3 SOUTH-WEST
29/03/08
LONDON CORNISH v TOTTONIANS

London Cornish 10 - Tottonians 20

Tottonians deservedly reversed their opening day home defeat at the hands of London Cornish on Saturday, winning a game they dominated in most aspects against an unusually pliant exiles side by a goal, two tries and penalty to two tries. The platform for the victory was provided by a visiting pack who comprehensively outplayed their Cornish counterparts.

With the ravages of the weather exacerbating the damage done to the REMPF pitches by the recent Rosslyn Park 7s, this match was switched to Wimbledon RFC's Barham Road ground. As the two sides completed their warm ups the heavens opened to pour rain onto a decent size pitch already sodden and heavy underfoot. Coupled with a very strong wind into which Cornish played in the opening period, the conditions were never going to produce a game of running rugby. Cornish went into the game without props James Turnbull, hooker Mike Allewell (plus long term injury victim Will Carew-Gibbs) and inside centre Henry Mitchell, Rod Petre returning at 7 for Mark Williams-Jones and Jim Strover selected on the wing with Jim Reynolds benching. From the off Cornish were on the back foot, knocking on the kick off and under pressure in the tight as a front 5 who had never packed down together could not find their stride. Coupled with a completely misfiring lineout, it was to be a long afternoon for the Cornish backs. Totts play a decent brand of all court rugby, their forwards driving close in before releasing a back line that would relish the go forward ball they received all afternoon. 8 minutes in the visitors had the lead when a multi-phase move gave room for their right wing to touch down wide right, their excellent kicker lifting the ball on the wind between the uprights to extend the lead to 7-0. With their first foray into enemy territory 4 minutes later, Cornish struck back. A penalty was kicked into the 22 and a rolling maul set in motion some distance out to rumble up and over the tryline, Petre credited with the touchdown. Dan Pollard's conversion attempt into the wind was well struck but simply blew away from the posts. At the restart Petre fielded the kick and, as he has done on a number of occasions this season, dummied the onrushing visiting pack before sprinting through a gap in the defensive wall. He burst over halfway and took on the full back on the 22. Outside him Mike Harvey was flying up in support but prior to taking the pass Harvey was cynically tackled early, the referee awarding the penalty but astonishingly not deeming the offence worthy of a brief holiday for the miscreant! Though the ball was kicked to the corner, the malfunctioning lineout saw the ball turned over and hoofed clear. With scrum-half Mike Dardis being provided with almost no clean ball and under huge pressure with what possession did come his way, Pollard was unable to free up his potent backline. Totts pack not took a hold of the game in the loose, ramming their way up the pitch on 25 minutes until a prop powered over the line only to be held up by 3 Cornish defenders, the referee arriving a few seconds late and awarding a try despite the protestations. This time the conversion flew wide but the score was now 12-5 to the visitors. For the next 15 minutes Totts took the game to Cornish, magnificent defending from Skipper Rob Aird supported on occasions by no 8 Will Ho keeping the visitors at bay. Prop Ben Shribman and hooker Ben Wheeler both injured shoulders at this point needing treatment. Lock Pete Calvert carried well all afternoon but all too frequently he was not supported quickly enough and Cornish repeatedly turned the ball over, he and fellow lock Thornton Williams having to work hard to keep things steady in the tight. With Pollard scrambling well despite huge pressure every time he received the ball, and full back Adam McVicar also able to launch decent clearances in to the strong wind, Totts were frustrated at not being able to extend their lead with the strong wind in their favour. Right on half time, Cornish conceded the only kickable penalty they had given up all half, the visitors kicking making no mistake from some distance out to make the score at the break 15-5 to Totts.

Both Shribman and Wheeler were struggling with injury at the break, the former replaced by Ashley Holloway allowing the latter to switch to loose head, Simon Wood moving to tight. Though now with the wind advantage, it was Totts who actually upped their game, a series of burgeoning pick and drives forcing Cornish deep inside their own territory. Time and again Aird met the onslaught with an immense Skippers performance, but he was increasingly not being followed into battle by his pack, a couple now carrying injuries and some seemingly believing the seasons work to be over. Sensing they could put the game to bed, Totts worked overtime to negate the effect of the conditions, but knock ons and mishandling dogged both sides and the game as a spectacle detoriorated. Cornish centres Graham Dodge and Keith Thompson both tried to work some room but were isolated and driven back in the tackle. Pollard was another who put his body on the line as the Totts forwards worked him over, knocks to his neck and leg both requiring treatment. Ho departed the action 10 minutes into the second period, another shoulder problem seeing him leave the fray to be replaced by Pete Drewett. By now the Cornish scrum was under massive pressure on its own ball, understandably undercooked having never worked as a unit in training. On two occasions Cornish did work some room for Strover to break outside his man and chip ahead, but though the ball was scrambled to touch, the subsequent lineouts were lost to the great frustration of the Cornish backs. Gaps began to appear around the fringes as a monstrous tackle count began to take its toll, though Totts were prevented from rolling mauls over the Cornish line and were unable to break through out wide as Strover and Harvey cut men down with superb cover tackles. On one Totts attack a Cornish back was penalised for a high tackle and the ball again kicked to the corner. Cornish made a final change now, bringing on Jim Reynolds for Dodge. Try as they might Totts could not force their way over the line and game seemed to reach a deadlock. Finally, on 69 minutes Totts worked the ball right to left inside the Cornish 22 only for the ball to be knocked on over the Cornish line. The first man to react was a Totts back who dived on it and looked as surprised as anyone when the referee awarded the score. The closest man to the action was a Totts supporter who actually had the grace to apologise for the score being awarded! The conversion attempt feel just short and Cornish were reduced to 14 men as Pollard simply could not continue after a knock to his leg. Oddly enough, it was only now that Cornish woke up. Harvey was given a smidgeon of room down the right flank to get away from the defence and just inside his own half. He drew the full back and chipped over him but the ball broke unkindly and was scrambled clear. With just a few minutes now remaining, Cornish launched another attack and drove deep into the Totts 22. Thompson, now playing at his favoured position of 10, floated a superb pass right to left into the waiting hands of Strover who beat his man on the outside and dived over wide left. The conversion attempt slid wide, the score no more than consolation. When the final whistle went, the visitors were worthy winners indeed.

Only Cobham have completed the double over Totts this season, evidence that the Hampshire side are very much the benchmark for sides wishing to challenge at the top of London 3 South-West. They are a well run club and the relationship between these two sides flourished at the post match festivities as both sets of players and supporters mixed at the Telegraph Inn. This was a disappointing performance by Cornish, the second time they have turned in a below par effort when a home game has had to be relocated. DoR Moon will certainly be aware of the large number of players who played in the 2s on Saturday absolutely champing at the bit for a return to 1s action, and it will be no surprise to see the side freshened up for the remaining matches of the season. 5th place would be a fine return on the clubs first ever season at this level but that place still needs to be won, so the work begins on Wednesday night to close out the season in style!

LCRFC – Adam McVicar, Jim Strover, Keith Thompson, Graham Dodge (Jim Reynolds), Mike Harvey, Dan Pollard, Adam McVicar, Will Ho (Pete Drewett), Rod Petre, Rob Aird (Capt.), Thornton Williams, Pete Calvert, Ben Shribman (Ashley Holloway), Ben Wheeler, Simon Wood.

Can you post your fixture on here for next Saturday Dickon as your website says T.B.C. Cheers.

Merlin - LCRFC are playing away at Guildford from Lon 2 in a friendly; kick off will be 1500.

Thanks Dickon.

Eventually put together a Club XV to play Guildford 1s and went down 27-0. Fielding only 4 of the 1s, it was a chance to trial a few new players and to have a look at players who have been playing well for our 2s, 3s and 4s. A very useful exercise with next season in mind...

How did you do today Dickon?.

Sorry to say that Cornish lost yesterday

LCRFC went down 3-14 at home to promotion chasing Purley John Fisher in Lon 3 S/W yesterday. Full report to follow, but in short it was an excellent match and a massive improvement in performance from the last league match.

LONDON 3 SOUTH-WEST
12/04/08
LONDON CORNISH v PURLEY JOHN FISHER

London Cornish 3 - Purley John Fisher 14

A vastly improved alround performance by London Cornish, brimming with pride and commitment, was ultimately not enough to prevent Purley John Fisher from taking a giant stride towards a home play-off for promotion to London 2 South. The visitors scored a converted try in each half to a solitary penalty by the exiles, but the score masks the fact that this was one almighty tussle between two decent sides.

Cornish shuffled the pack following the previous league encounter, Mike Allewell returning at hooker and the huge former Newport and Wales u21 A international forward Joe Purcell making his full debut at 8. In the backs Keith Thompson switched fly half in place of the injured Dan Pollard, Henry Mitchell returning at 12 to allow Graham Dodge to move to 13. The bench saw returns for James Turnbull, Tom Jeffery and Matt Strover. It is extraordinary that the exiles have managed to maintain a competitive edge in all their sides this season labouring under an extensive 1s squad injury list that has hovered around the current 20 for much of the year, and it certainly augurs well for next season. At last able to play on the hallowed turf of the Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields, the game began in bright sunshine but with thick, black cloud and thunder and lightening closing in on all sides. Understandably, the visitors brought plenty of support but it was the exiles who shaded the early exchanges. With Thompson pinning the visitors in their own half with a couple of decent kicks, Cornish won a penalty on 4 minutes but the effort was pulled wide. The game was played at a real pace and no quarter was asked or given as both sides threw everything into their efforts at the breakdown. On a couple of occasions in the early period, Mitchell carried the ball well into PJF territory but the visitors defence held strong. Their fly-half seemed intent on kicking as much as possible but soon realised that when these land in the arms of the bang in form Cornish wing Mike Harvey, they were going to be returned with interest. Three times Harvey took his man on the outside, twice being pulled down by the cover on the visiting 22 and once narrowly failing to find supporting centre Dodge with a chip ahead. As with all decent sides, PJF struck with their first foray into the exiles half. They worked a series of phases up the right flank into the home 22, then switched the ball right to left where their centre broke through and offloaded to the overlapping wing to score half way in to the posts. Their kicker made no mistake with the extras, the wind blowing across the pitch toward the stream providing a helping hand. Any thoughts the PJF crowd had that the floodgates were about to open were soon dispelled as Cornish worked overtime at the breakdown, frequently turning PJF over. Allewell, Pete Drewett and Pete Calvert were particularly adept at this, often working off the back of the immense defensive effort of Skipper Rob Aird and Purcell. On 21 minutes wing Jim Strover cut a fine slice through the PJF rearguard to cross the 22 and be tackled yards from the line. As Cornish worked the ball right to left the last pass went behind the man and into touch for the danger to be cleared. 5 minutes later, and with PJF now back on the attack, Aird suffered knee injury that forced him from the field, Jeffery coming on in his place and Allewell taking on the Skippers mantle. On 23 minutes and with Cornish on the attack, the visiting wing intercepted a pass on his own 22 and took off upfield seemingly to score. He had not reckoned with the tenacity of Dodge, who hared after him, mowing him down in the shadow of the posts for the ball to be spilled forward and the chance lost. Gradually, the visitors gained an ascendancy at scrum-time, but Purcell frequently performed miracles to turn bad ball into go forward ball as he drove and twisted his way powerfully upfield. With scrum half Mike Dardis working overtime to get the ball away before he was clattered, the visitors became frustrated and a constant stream of invective was directed at the referee, most of it by one or two of the visiting supporters. On 26 minutes Cornish won another penalty for offside, Thompson stepping up to put his side on the board and reduce the arrears to 3-7. The visitors too were forced to make an early change, a back succumbing to an arm injury. As the battle intensified, so the tackles flew in harder and harder, Allewell twice choosing to lead with his head and being barrelled out of the way by his opposite number! The Cornish lineout now began to function better than it has done for a few weeks, though both sides were unable to utilise their rolling mauls to much effect since the two packs cancelled each other out. As half time approached, PJF had a period of sustained pressure at the scoreboard corner at the clubhouse end. Their support also gathered down there as the heavens opened up and heavy rain began lashing down. These conditions aid the defending side, and much to their frustration the visitors were repelled by a combination of knock-ons, turnovers and mispasses, Cornish full-back Adam McVicar finally able to clear his sides lines to leave the score at the break still 3-7.

With the wind suddenly dropping and the sun back out, the second half began with A PJF forward knocking on the restart. Cornish worked hard to make room for Harvey and Strover, but the visiting defence held firm. On a couple of occasions Cornish worked an overlap down the blind side but the wrong options were taken and the opportunities lost. Though the noise from the sidelines did not abate despite pleas from some of the visiting bench, the PJF players continued to find that what ball they won at the set pieces, they were unable to secure for long enough in the loose. The exiles were forced into a front row change on 53 minutes when prop Simon Wood went down with cramp in a hamstring, Turnbull coming on in his place. Purcell continued to mop up at the base of the rucks and scrums, ably supported by lock Thornton Williams and prop Ben Wheeler, who for once stayed off the wing for a game! More pressure from PJF saw them win and miss a very kickable penalty from in front of the posts on 63 minutes before they finally gained enough phases of possession to force an overlap, which their wing finished wide left to great jubiltation despite another excellent covering tackle by Dodge. This time their kicker produced an excellent conversion into the breeze to ease his side out to a 14-3 lead. Once more the visitors turned the screw, pinning Cornish into the same corner. They won a series of scrums and lineouts 5 metres from the exiles line, but try as they might they could not force Cornish back over their line, nor could they roll a maul over it. The staunch defending cost the exiles dear, Allewell taking one hit to the head too many to be replaced by Wood, whose cramp had cleared up for Wheeler to switch to hooker. Drewett too had to be replaced at this stage, Jim Strover moving into 7 and his brother Matt replacing him on the wing. Cornish again found the energy to attack down the left flank on 68 minutes, Matt Strover only being called back for a foot on the line after powering his way down the flank. Another swift counter saw Thompson weave his way through down the same flank and only white line fever from a Cornish back prevented what surely would have been a scoring pass from going to Matt Strover. Both sides lost players to the sin bin in the closing minutes for repeated offences as the breakdown contest remained hugely competitive. The pattern continued right up to the final whistle - Cornish would win decent territory but lose the set piece battle, PJF would counter, make ground but lose the battle of the breakdown. With no addition to the score, the final whistle went with the visitors having secured a vital 2 points with a 14-3 victory.

Some of the Purley committee rolled back the years by staying well into the night at The Telegraph, and they were a very welcome bunch too. It's a pity only 1 of their players could join them, especially as we are unlikely to see them again next season! We wish them well in their onward quest, three years the bridesmaids in the play-offs, they seem ready to win the accolade of brides! Cornish produced a performance of real substance here, a demonstration of what could be achieved next season. With new players such as Purcell joining the fray and making an immediate impact, it will be interesting to see how they and the returning injured players blend in during the summer. With the final league game of their first ever season at this level just down the road at good friends KCS Old Boys next week, the exiles will need another performance of this standard to finish the season with a W. The 2s game between the two clubs at the REMPF carries even greater significance, the Surrey Premier Reserve League title (and potential entry to the Canterbury Leagues) riding on it. It could not have been planned better!

LCRFC – Adam McVicar, Jim Strover, Graham Dodge , Henry Mitchell, Mike Harvey, Keith Thompson, Mike Dardis, Joe Purcell, Pete Drewett (Matt Strover), Rob Aird (Capt.)(Tom Jeffery), Thornton Williams, Pete Calvert, Ben Wheeler, Mike Allewell (James Turnbull), Simon Wood.

Terrific report, Dickon.  Thanks for your regular reports this season, good luck for your last game, it'd be great to see your season finish on a high note.  The London Scottish game was the highlight of my season, a fantastic weekend and I'm looking forward to visiting next season.  Now, who do we play that we can meet up again?  I'll sober up and take a look.  Eventually!

Its a visit to Blackheath to meet up with Dickon etc.TDH.

I shall be there :-)