Tom Hodgson, one of several returning players, starred for CS, particularly during the last ten minutes, as they came out on top in an old fashioned derby game against next door neighbours Chiswick.
There were a number of missed kicks, both to touch and conversions, and other unforced errors in this scrappy game. CS had already missed a penalty kick to the corner for an attacking line out, and had to wait another seven minutes for a similar opportunity, which came at the end of the first quarter; this time the kick was successful and resulted in the intended five metre line out. The ball was won cleanly and when the driving maul crossed the line, lock Ben Davies was the successful scorer. Tom Jones was not able to convert 5-0. On twenty four minutes the Chiswick open side flanker was given a ten minute rest for a professional foul near his own line. CS took the scrum option for the resulting penalty and drove Chiswick powerfully over their line for a 10-0 lead. During the remainder of the half CS had a number of further opportunities to score but they were all wasted, and five points when playing against fourteen men was not as successful a return as it should have been.
Chiswick had the benefit of the wind in the second half which had picked up in strength, and their half time team talk also proved effective, for on four minutes their scrum half, a hand full all afternoon, broke free, and after a dummy pass scored a well taken try, and after the conversion the score was 10-7. During the next twenty minutes play was scrappy and CS struggled to play the game at the right end of the pitch, and on twenty four minutes Chiswick scored down the right wing to take the lead 10-12. Once the game entered the last ten minutes CS started to play with more urgency and precision. Firstly Hodgson capitalise by converting a penalty from 15 metres to take the lead 13-12, and then full back Houstoun broke free down the right wing and was only stopped by a high tackle; from the resulting penalty CS took play deep into Chiswick territory and when they forced another penalty Hodgson again converted 16-12. With more or less the last play of the match Hodgson made a clean break and was able to score in the left corner, which went unconverted by CS were grateful for the eleven points from Hodgson in the last ten minutes and pleased to get back to winning ways after two consecutive defeats.
The seconds had a powerful win over Old Reigations and then both teams set off for the CS Christmas party in suitable festive attire. Next week CS are at home for their final match of the year, against Cobham who will be looking for revenge for CS’s 19-26 away win in the second match of the season.