Cobham travelled south to play Tottonians RFC, another former grammar school rugby side and designated as an open club in 1966/7.
Totts gained promotion to London South 1 in 2015/6 finishing 7th but they are pushing hard for further promotion and they won the previous encounter at the Memorial grounds in November 37-32 so this would be a hard fought game.
Both teams were looking to gain the initial score during the first quarter but it was Cobham who achieved that advantage after thirteen minutes when the backline fired and James MacDonald broke through the Totts defence and was able to offload to Joe Davis who sprinted in under the posts for a converted try 0-7.
Half way through the first half Cobham provided Totts with a penalty and an opportunity to get themselves on the scoreboard 3-7.
Cobham responded to gain territory and although a line out was conceded a wayward throw from Totts enabled Cobham to obtain possession and put Jake McQuade under the posts for their second converted try 3-14.
Totts came back strongly with a well worked move to crash over for their own converted try 10-17 but they could not maintain the pressure and promptly lost possession from the kick off to enable James MacDonald to sprint in from the halfway line, With Ross Jones David maintaining his 100% record to convert 10-24.
A strike against the head at the next scrum kept Totts in the game and a penalty on the twenty two metre line followed by a well structured line out catch and drive took the home side over the try line converted to make the half time score 17-24 and still anyone's game.
Cobham started the second half strongly which saw centre Matt Goddard score Cobham's bonus point 4th try under the posts and with only five minutes of the second half gone Cobham had secured a two converted try lead at 17-31.
It was going to be a long haul back for Totts but in a determined response they gained from scrum and line out possession. A penalty in front of the posts was declined and instead the Totts kicked to touch which provided a well worked opportunity for the back line to score out wide 22-31.
This was followed by a Totts turn over on the half way line and their Nathan Burns took the play downfield and from a resulting ruck Josh Raquio chipped over the defence and sprinted round the cover to gather the ball and score bonus point try in the corner this time for the home side 27-31
Having lost the initiative Cobham came back into the Totts half but again the home said proved too strong in the back line as they took the lead for the first time with a try under the posts. Robbie Searle's conversion giving Totts a 34-31 lead with twenty minutes remaining.
With only eight minutes remaining Totts had their first yellow card of the game for illegal handling and Cobham looked to take advantage of the extra man with a number of scrums.
With full time played Cobham were awarded a penalty which could have earned them a draw but this time they declined with a quick tap penalty. Unfortunately Totts defence gained possession from a knock on and Robbie Searle sprinted to touch down out wide and convert 41-31.
Director of rugby Steve Pope said after the game 'Very disappointed is the only nice way I can put it.In patches we are playing very well and great to watch playing some very exciting football. .. as we have been all season...
1 Josh Brown
2 Jake McQuade
3 Sam Matcham
4 Doug Rodman
5 Joe Goddard
6 Joe Davis
7 Rob Fleming
8 Matt Koep
9 Rob Kennard
10 Ross Jones-Davies
11 James MacDonald
12 Charlie Rooke
13 Matt Goddard
14 Max MacDonald
15 James Clements
16 Simeon Barnes
17 Nathan Spratt
18 Ryan Saunders
Tries
Joe Davis x 1
Jake Mcquade x 1
Matt Goddard x 1
James MacDonald x 1
Ross Jones-Davies x 4 Conversions x 1 penalty
