Combe had won three out of their four first encounters of the season albeit by tight margins and were looking to consolidate their league position against Harlequins. The home side had looked reasonably comfortable at the half-time whistle, leading 24-10. But all teams in this league have the capacity to bounce back strongly and Harlequins were no exception getting to within 10 points with 15 minutes to go.

Combe were strong enough in the first period to notch up a try scoring bonus point, but it was Harlequins that grabbed an early lead through the accurate boot of stand-off Ewan Fox. Combe hit back quickly with incisive play from forwards and backs and it was a quick bit of play at the back of a ruck from scrum half Mikel Davies which produced the score which Nathan Wyman converted to make it 10-3 after 9 minutes

Davies scored his second with a fine kick and gather to allow Combe to stretch out to 15-3 and that lead increased when more pressure play from the home side was finished off by prop Sam Kenny. The successful conversion by Wyman made it 19-3 and when No 8 Nick Cook scored the bonus point try bursting clean through the Harlequins line-out defence it looked as if Combe were cruising at 24-3. The visitors had other thoughts and mounted a series of thrusts at the Combe line. A knock-on gave Harlequins a great attacking scrum in front of the posts and they made no mistake, Centre Toby Haines running in the try for Fox to convert.

Early in the second period Combe widened the gap with Cook getting his second running round the defence after more Combe gainline breaking attacks. The Wyman conversion made it 31-10. But again Harlequins hit back. Combe were down to 14 players and the visitors produced a second neat move off the back of a scrum. Centre Adam Field ran the try in and Fox hit his third successful kick of the day to tighten the scoreline to 31-17. Combe’s Wyman hit the next score from a penalty after a Harlequins high tackle with Combe leading 34-17.

Once more the Oxford side didn’t relent and produced a period of pressure of their own and Fox got a well deserved try, his neat sidestep wrong footing the defence to give him a clear run in. He converted his own try and the score now stood at 34-24 with 15 minutes left.

In that final period the Goddington Dene outfit put the game to bed scoring twice at the back of driving mauls. Joshua-Daniel Smith bundled over for the first on 25 minutes and hooker Callum Harris got the final score towards the death. Toby Wallace claimed a conversion and the final score of 46-24 probably reflected the fact that the home team had that wee bit more of a cutting edge and a bit more gas left in the tank as the clock ran down.

Rivals Canterbury beckon for Combe next week and the hope is for a close match with plenty of attacking Rugby.