A testament to a fine player

The Eagles travelled to play the away fixture at London Cornish at their Kingston Vale pitch, having shaded the home encounter 10-9 earlier in the season, at the end of a week that had brought the tragic news of the death of Eagles' first-teamer Robert ("Rob") Allan, whose obituary appears alongside this article. The players and spectators gathered at the start of the match for an impeccably observed minute's silence: for the Effingham players to remember Rob and for all present to reflect, with black armbands prominent.

The pre-match weather had been foul but had fortuitously cleared for the minute's silence and the start of the match. The pitch was well-grassed for this stage of the season although there were indications that the surface was breaking-up. The Eagles team showed some changes, mainly positional from the previous week's draw with Guildford, in particular Oli Rees moving to 8 and David Reynolds at 10.

Cornish kicked off, collected by Flight, who drove powerfully upfield before being tackled. The Eagles sought to recycle but were turned over by Cornish, who moved the ball smartly left through the forwards, before kicking for field position, though the kicker's radar was slightly off-beam as the kick went straight out: lineout Eagles. The lineout was successful taken and the Eagles surged upfield, with some sharp offloading before a loose pass was intercepted by Cornish, who kicked ahead, fielded by Tony Penny. Penny ran the ball back aggressively but was tackled and the Eagles conceded the first penalty for holding-on though the attempted kick for points was wide.

The Eagles cleared long and Cornish ran the ball back before being dragged into touch: the Eagles taking the lineout at the back, and the ball passed through the hands to Smith in the centre, whose kick for touch alas reverted to the 22 as the ball had been taken back in. Cornish were shading the early play both in possession and territory: much as in previous weeks, the Eagles were taking some time to get into their stride. Cornish won a second penalty for over-the-top and this time the kicker's radar had clicked in, for 0-3.

The Eagles restart kick was short but the Cornish receiver knocked the ball into touch: lineout Eagles. The return of the squally rain had begun to render handling difficult and the Eagles returned the knock-on. The Eagles scrum appeared to be under some pressure but the scrum slewed and Cornish were penalised for taking the ball back into the scrum. The penalty was kicked efficiently to touch, with Matt Edwards rising to take the ball at 4, only for the Eagles to concede a scrum, and a promising attacking position, for accidental offside. The scrum was taken by Cornish, who moved the ball to midfield, before being engaged by the Eagles, a ruck developing and Cornish conceding a penalty for contesting referee Shaun Spilsbury's decision, then exacerbating the offence and being marched back twice for dissent, to put the penalty kick within range, though Tony Penny was wide with the shy at the posts. It was clear that the whistler, tastefully attired in a salmon shirt and fetching mauve socks, and whose positioning and control of the game were exemplary, had refereed at much higher levels.

Cornish kicked the dropout deep and chased hard, the ball being cleared to touch by Peter Moore, at fullback for the Eagles. Cornish took the lineout and again sought to make progress upfield through the centres, before the forwards engaged and forced play into the Eagles 22. Cornish recycled, and two sharp offloads later the Cornish centre ran through some less than robust defensive tackles and touched down two yards or so the side of the left hand post, the conversion being duly successful for 0-10. Matters were not developing favourably and the Eagles seemed slightly off the pace.

The Eagles restart went high and again Cornish sought to make ground the forwards, before being turned over by the Eagles, with scrum half Putty judiciously choosing a box kick. Cornish kicked ahead and chased hard: fullback Moore was forced to take the ball into touch on the 5 metre line. Cornish opted for the simple catch-n-drive and a well-organised rumble for the line, after a couple of slight switches of direction, duly delivered a 5 pointer in the corner, though the kick was wide, for 0-15. The Eagles needed to be the next team to score or the match might become something of a struggle.

As though a switch had flicked, the Eagles suddenly lifted their game and attacked aggressively through the centres, with Jason Evans and Joe Mellor cutting excellent lines to take play up to the Cornish 22. The Cornish defence scrambled well and held firm: ruck, scrum Eagles. After some early uncertainty, the Eagles scrummage was now dominating and the pressure brought some front row fireworks, deftly resolved by referee Spilsbury. The Eagles continued to press, with Evans and Mellor continuing to open up the Cornish defence and the Cornish scrummage struggling to hang on. Cornish turned over a promising Eagles attack and broke out threateningly downfield, seeming to have put the 14 away clear but eagle(sic!)-eyed referee Spilsbury had spotted a forward pass, scrum Eagles. The ball was swiftly moved through the hands, with Evans and Mellor again cutting swathes: two recycles later, Andy Hitchmough was put away to scoot round the stretched Cornish defence, with Moore adding the extras for 7-15.

The tide appeared to have changed as the Eagles gathered the restart and moved powerfully upfield, with good work by Rees, earning the Eagles a penalty for offside, kicked to touch. From the lineout, Evans again opened up the Cornish defence, a ruck developing in front of the posts: two pick-n-drives later Mark Allen forced his way over the whitewash for a well-earned score, duly converted by Moore for 14-15 and that was half time, with game very much on!

The Eagles restarted with the same energy with which they had finished the first half, with Compson and Flight particularly to the fore with aggressive tackling, and counter-rucking powerfully. The Eagles won a penalty for not-rolling-away, hoofed to the Cornish 22. From good ball from the lineout Reynolds and Penny combined well to create an opening and the Eagles flooded towards the home tryline, before a loose offload was intercepted and Cornish kicked clear.

Cornish chased the kick well, forcing a penalty, taking play back the Eagles 22, though the Eagles customary well-organised defence was by now in evidence and the attackers were wrapped -up: scrum, which delivered a penalty to the Eagles for wheeling as the pressure came on: the Eagles kicked clear, retaining the resulting lineout ball, with the ball being passed through the hands to Tony Penny, who put in a lightening kick-chase, forcing another lineout. The Eagles again retained the lineout ball; swift pass to Reynolds, ruck midfield, swift blast for in-from-the-side against a Cornish defender: Reynolds supplied the kick to the 5 metre line. Once more the Eagles recycled, this time to Evans, who showed excellent vision with a cross kick to Hitchmough, who made ground up the try-line before being tackled, with the Eagles being turned over on the line : kick clear.

Maintaining the tempo, Moore took a quick lineout to Mellor : two swift passes later, Tony Penny hared down the wing, with a Cornish tackler tracking across: a dead heat between the two in the race to the line and a last second tackle left it unclear whether a try had been scored. The judgement was foot-in-touch so the Eagles were held at bay for the time being but from the Cornish clearing kick, Evans and Mellor again forced the pace and opened up the defence: this time Penny was put clear to beat the covering defence to touch down, though the conversion was wide, for 19-15.

The Eagles fielded the restart kick and moved the ball through the hands out to the wing, seeking to probe the areas which had been productive. Cornish defended well and the Eagles forwards had to redouble their efforts; the forwards' exchanges were increasing in ferocity. The Eagles won a penalty for offside, kicked to the Cornish 22; the Eagles forwards engaged the home defence after a catch-n-drive, tying in the defenders; two recycles later, the point of attack was quickly changed and the ball suddenly switched to the backs: two quick passes and Andy Hitchmough dotted down in the corner for his second try of the match, through again the extras were eschewed, for 25-15.

The match closed out with a yellow card apiece as Cornish sought to get back into the game but the Eagles held out reasonably comfortably, with Flight and Compson to the fore with crunching tackles on Cornish attackers. The Eagles had scored 24 unanswered points from 15-0 down and could be very pleased with the win over a strong Cornish side. The spectators had been treated to a fine game, expertly controlled by referee Spilsbury.

The Eagles: Ellinson (T), Callender, Allen, Mcgibbon, Edwards, Flight, Compson, Rees, Putty, Reynolds, Evans, Smith (R), Mellor, Penny, Hitchmough, Moore.