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Category: Rugby
Medway 47-20 Sevenoaks
Written by Ian Dance
Saturday, 02 November 2013 16:27
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Despite the recent inclement weather, Medway played Sevenoaks on Saturday on an excellent playing surface and in-front of fifty past players who were enjoying their annual reunion lunch.

The young Medway team did not disappoint and produced one of their best performances of the season. Playing into a stiff breeze during the first half, they were more than a match for Sevenoaks, and were a little unlucky to turn around at half time behind, facing a narrow deficit of 20 -14. After the interval however, and with the elements in their favour, Medway were unstoppable and scored 33 unanswered points including four well worked tries.

Medway welcomed back Ollie Best, Ryan Redman and Tom Beaumont to their line up, and all three had influential games with Tom putting in a man of the match performance. Throughout the game Medway’s pack played the conditions well, keeping the ball tight, making good yards, and tiring the opposition by forcing them to make tackle after tackle. When the time was right, the tempo was suddenly increased and backs and forwards combined with excellent handling and support play to score six tries.

Medway started the game well and threatened the Sevenoaks line straight from the kick off. After 12 minutes, and somewhat against the run of play, Sevenoaks profited from an interception and scored converted try. Stung into action Medway responded immediately when James Dance took a quick tap penalty, Owain Fussell made a fine break, and Ollie Best was on hand to level the scores with his own converted try. On the half hour mark Sevenoaks took the lead again through an excellent long range penalty kick and then added a converted try following good scrum work under the Medway posts. Just before half time, Medway scored their second try when Fiu Samuela went over and Best converted. Finally Sevenoaks increased their lead with another penalty to make the half time score 20 – 14.

Any doubt about the result was removed when Medway scored two tries in the 5th and 6th minutes of the second half. After a patient forwards drive that sucked in all of the defensive cover, Dance fed Best who dived over for a simple try. Straight from the kick off Ben Johnson made a good break, Best provided the link to Tom Beaumont to score the converted try. Medway scored a further two tries from Leo Liu’ana and, impact sub, Sam Catlin. Best also kicked two penalties to keep the score board regularly ticking over.

Overall a very pleasing performance from the whole team and one that sent the past players home happy!

Medway team:

Petch; Cooley; Reddish; Taylor; Easton; Beaumont; Johnson; Samuela; Dance; Best; Garofalo; Burns; Fussell; Liua’ana; Redman; Brice; Catlin; Huntley

 

Next game is at away at Lewis in the League on Saturday 9th November 2013.

 

 

 
Crowborough 12-19 Maidstone
Written by Trevor Langley
Saturday, 26 October 2013 16:48
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Maidstone got themselves back to winning ways with a solid 19-12 victory at Crowborough on Saturday afternoon.

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Deal and Betteshanger 24-12 Medway
Written by Ian Dance
Saturday, 26 October 2013 16:45
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On an extremely windy October afternoon, Medway were blown away by a clinical Deal and Bettseshanger side in the first 30 minutes of this game.

D & B scored 24 unanswered points in the first 27 minutes to clinch the important bonus point and then the Medway youngsters did well to stem the tide, and prevent the home team from scoring again during the rest of the game. Luke Burns scored two second half tries for Medway, but overall the visitors did not have quite enough fire power nor composure, to overcome such a large deficit.

Deal and Betteshanger sat second in the league before today’s game, with a perfect unbeaten record and were clearly fired up to keep that winning run going. Medway on the other hand, came out of the traps slowly and made a number of errors that presented field position and possession to D & B to help them take their lead. The conditions were extremely difficult and the inexperienced Medway lads took too long to adapt from their normal expansive style.

Whilst Medway contributed to their own downfall, Deal and Betteshanger’s tactics were spot-on and during that first half hour they played with patience and power and executed very well, scoring four tries from four visits into the Medway red zone. They repeatedly attacked around the fringes then used their elusive fly half to step inside to get behind the drifting defence.

After 30 minutes the penny seemed to drop for the Medway boys, and a powerful forwards drive was just thwarted by the home team’s defence on their try line. Sam Garofalo then fielded an up and under, did extremely well on the counter attack and released Sam Catlin who was again stopped just short of the try line. Despite a good ten minutes, Medway were unable to get on the score board, and the half time score remained 24 – 0 in D & B favour.

Medway spent much of the second period in D & B territory but were unable to secure sufficient first phase possession to really put the home team under pressure. At key moments, and in key positions the home team were able to steal possession and clear their lines. Medway’s tactics were better, and their forwards crossed the home team’s try line on two occasions only to be held up by the committed home defence. Luke Burns scored a good try on 17 minutes, converted by Wardzynski, and then got his second try in the closing minutes.

Given there were only six players from the Medway team that played against D & B last season, we have to remind ourselves to be patient as the boys gain experience and develop their game plan and get used to playing together. Overall, D & B were worthy winners, played the conditions much better, and now sit top of the table having maintained their 100 percent record this season.

Medway team:

Petch; Cooley; Reddish; Taylor; Easton; Huntley; Johnson; Samuela; Dance; Wardzynski; Catlin; Burns; Fussell; Liua’ana; Garofalo; Brice; Flanagan; Valevou.

 

Medway’s next game is at home to Sevenoaks in the League on Saturday 2nd November 2013.

 

 

 
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