First away game of the season visiting relative neighbours and good friends, "Combe", in leafy Kent. There had been nothing emphatic about our victory over Stourbridge a week earlier to suggest a radical change in both potential and intent. Still a win is a win and at least the lights were set on red and amber for the second encounter, also lost last season.
Our fifty or so diehard away supporters were treated to a festival of flowing rugby, six tries, the extent of the pace and movement well captured by Chris Fell and his camera. The marked change in the weather, contrasted with the dismal opening day of the season, warm with a gentle breeze. Both sets of fans were entertained and the unforced errors kept down to a minimum.
Begin with a bang, and so we did, two tries in two minutes and just two minutes into the game. Luke Fielden crossed for the first of three, from outside centre. Lucky thirteen for Luke. He had threatened a week earlier,only to be denied by the referee's hasty whistle. No such intervention here from ref Ed Turnill. Luke cut and ran, perhaps with the Coomb defence focussed on top league try scorer Bomber Lombaard. Craig Evans added two points, kick off, secure ball, movement left, ruck, movement the width of the field for flying prop, Tom Laws, to score in the corner. A difficult and missed second kick for Craig, but twelve points for the visitors and the promise of much more to come. That nothing of significance materialised for a further 22 minutes can be attributed to a combination of pinpoint refereeing, 80/20 possession and a pronounced variation in pace between the two sides. Ed Turnill penalised Cambridge seven times for a combination of not releasing the ball and offside. Combe conceded just twice, so the balance of kicks in their favour kept their opponents pinned well away from the home 22 metre line. They scored their only try on the 25th minute, making the most of a well-struck penalty kick to the left hand corner. A clean catch and drive gave Douglas Abbott credit for the touch down. Darryn Bruce missed the conversion, his third attempt at the sticks with two penalties falling short earlier.
The gap was narrowed to the bonus point "under 7" and evidence perhaps that the home side were back in the game. Luke Fielden was singing from a very different hymn sheet. Tries either side of half time were clinically executed as his colleagues on either side created space and pressure enough for seismic gaps to open up at his feet. Our utility homegrown back is very much at home at outside centre. As a teenager scrum half, he impressed from his debut four years ago to his recent return from University in the northeast. From wing to full backand now settled in midfield his chosen running angles are well read by colleagues inside him. But then the hard work is mid-week as fast and wide distribution is practised again and again, often without the benefit of perfect handling conditions. Craig Evans, having gained significant metres with his field kicking, converted both tries. The interva lscore after just the second of Luke's tries was 19 points to 5 for Cambridge who accompanied the team of three to the distant dressing rooms. The home side opted to stay put and enjoy the sunshine, perhaps the more relaxing option but not as well prepared for the serious business of clawing their way back once again into the game.
Luke's hat trick try came in the 50th minute setting up a second half sequence of three. The winning bonus point secured, BobCrookes began a full replacement programme following the halftime hooker exchange of debut Jonathan Vickers for Callum Powell. "Saints onloan" made a marked contribution to this game. At scrum half, England Academy player John Brake had excelled in his pace, distribution and guile. Replaced later by Stefan Liebenberg, similar patterns of play meant little or no disruption to the attacking pivot. As Ben Patston joined to replace Paul Kendall, the opposition could be forgiven for failing to identify their opposite number. Patston was technically on the wing but was evident both at 10 and at full back. In the pack Tom Powell at 6 was replaced by Rich Candlin who settled down in his familiar second row slot. Two scrums won "against the head" followed, credit to all the Cambridge forwards but such rarities point to quality and class at front row centre.
The scene was set for a flourish of a finish.James Hinkins, now on the wing from full back elegantly scored in the clubhouse corner. Ben Patston converted to repeat from another difficult angle as Darren Fox scored late in the opposite corner. Darren broke from a scrum or ruck 15 metres out, chose his diagonal path to the line and, muscles in gear drove a neat furrow to the corner. Just look at the sequence of shots as the camera captures Darren's strength and resolve. Just much easier to stop a runaway stallion. A try saving tackle was well beyond the call of duty, game lost and time running out. Ben converted, to make it two out of a difficult two attempts.
That was it. Plenty of sunshine left to enjoy a party pint or two before the journey north. Our highest league position ever to fourth, headed by Redruth, Launceston and Blaydon. Three teams from the extreme corners of the league confirming that long distance travelling time perhaps on balance, favours the Cornish 3 and Newcastle 2. Too early to tell and another marker as B & S visit Cambridge for the first time ever next Saturday. Birmingham and Solihull/Pertemps Bees provide a different sort of challenge. They are hardened National 1 campaigners, like Otley, streetwise and intolerant of the new kids on the block. Subtle psychology, as much as the physical, likely to be applied to this encounter by both sides. Kick off 3pm
Teams 
First away game of the season visiting relative neighbours and good friends, "Combe", in leafy Kent. There had been nothing emphatic about our victory over Stourbridge a week earlier to suggest a radical change in both potential and intent. Still a win is a win and at least the lights were set on red and amber for the second encounter, also lost last season. 
