Withycombe Head Into Christmas Top Of The League!

"A game of two halves" is a phrase often affiliated to many a rugby match, none more so than the latest encounter for Withycombe in the Tribute Cornwall and Devon league. They were up against a dogged Bodmin outfit who were unlucky not to be ahead at all in the match, the 0-0 half time score line very much flattering the Green and Blacks. However, a dominant second half performance saw 20 unanswered points for the visitors as the Withy Express chugged and puffed their way to victory, and after last weeks loss to St Ives, the win was all that really mattered in what was described before the game as a "potential banana skin".

Withycombe arrived at an extremely rain soaked Clifden Park, and with memories of last years loss at the end of a very disappointing season still fresh, it was pay back time. Bodmin had other ideas though and were ready to tear up the form book as the first 40 minutes went almost the complete opposite to how Withycombe thought it might.

Withycombe started playing up the slope, and couldn't have started better. They worked their way upfield and won a penalty almost in front of the posts. Tom Steer sent the kick just wide of the upright, and that would be one of only two real opportunity for points Withycombe would get in the half. Bodmin knew exactly how to play the conditions, their kicking game pinning the Withies back in their own 22 and down the slope on many occasions.

Remarkably, on 15 minutes it was the games first scrum. Remarkably because by this stage the pitch was more like a quagmire than a field, and getting any traction under foot was becoming more and more fruitless. Steer sent a clearing kick to touch, and Bodmin, with the shortened line out won, sent their flanker through a huge gap in the midfield and was lucky not to get over the line, eventually being dragged down by Joe Parkin. Some astute defence on the try line was the only thing keeping the visitors in the game. Bodmin kept the pressure on with some fantastic territorial kicking and pressure, but their malfunctioning line out meant winning first phase ball was easier said than done.

Heavy under foot was an understatement, and with the break down becoming more like Piccadilly Circus it was difficult to play any rugby. Liam Cullen, Tim Wills and Dave Simms did fantastically well in the line outs given the conditions, both offensively and defensively. 30 minutes in there was a ray of hope for the Green and Blacks through Mike Symons. The moonlighting winger managed to break on the outside and run hard up the hill, however, the ball was knocked on and a possible scoring chance went begging. The teams turned around at half time 0-0, the Green and Blacks scratching their heads as to what went so wrong!

After a rather melancholy first half, Withycombe knew that with the ever increasing pressure in the scrum and with the slope the second half had points written all over it. 10 minutes in and after a great scrum Steer sent the ball high. The Bodmin full back made a hash of the catch, the Withy kick chase securing possession. Hooker Liam Cullen strangely found himself in some open field, and with some deft hands fed the ball to Tom Pugsley who found 40 metres of sludge in front of him as he powered towards the line to break the deadlock. Steer missed the extras to make it 5-0.

In almost a carbon copy of his try, Tom Pugsley broke down the hill on 60 minutes with all but the full back to beat from 40 metres out, but somehow after cutting inside he was chopped down shy of the line. The Green and Blacks couldn't believe it, but pressure was turned into points once more as a penalty was awarded and Steer kicked it, leaving 8-0 to the visitors.

On 70 minutes Withycombe won a line out, and setting up a maul was by this stage only customary as it was hardly "jouer" conditions. The maul set off on what would turn out to be a 25 metre wrecking ball. However, it dubiously collapsed just inches from the line, the referee amazingly seeing nothing untoward and awarding Withycombe the scrum.

That only riled up the Front Eight as the workmanlike forwards turned up the proverbial heat. As Withycombe had found out in the first half, Bodmins 22 was a very difficult place to get out of, and once there there was no turning back. Scrum time was turning into more of a mar job than a contest, and the train started to leave the station. After being driven back 4 times and after 4 infringements from Bodmin on their own line at the scrum, the referee ran under the posts to award a penalty try, Steer converting to make it 15-0.

On 32 minutes it was the newly returned Tom Counsell to get on the score sheet. Steer once again kicked down field, and with the kick chase swallowing up the returning full back there was more ferocious pressure from Withycombe. The ball spilled out, and the panic kick from Bodmin was gleefully received by Counsell who caught the kick and took off like a rampaging bull towards the try line. The covering defence almost caught him, but the powerful centre dived over from 5 metres out to secure the last points of the game. The conversion was missed to make it 20-0.

The last 5 minutes saw more of the same, Withycombe down in Bodmins 22 and not looking like leaving. It was back to the forwards to try and get the bonus point. There was scrum after scrum after scrum, but somehow the home defence held firm to deny Withycombe a four try bonus point, much to the dismay of the the entire Withycombe squad. It's one that could be very important as Bude are now only 1 point behind in second and St Ives 4 behind in third.

That's the last of the league action for 2015, Withycombes next fixture on January 2nd away to Exeter Saracens. Don't forget that on the 26th of December it is the annual Boxing Day spectacular, Withycombe XV vs Presidents XV. Kick off is at 1pm. Everyone is welcome to come down and join in the festivities in what is always a cracking family day at Raleigh Park.