Medway’s first team got back into action after three weeks without a game and hosted Heathfield and Waldron at Priestfields on Saturday.

They were keen to avenge the defeat that their opponents inflicted upon them earlier this season down in Sussex and ran out very comfortable winners scoring eight unanswered tries with Ollie Best kicking seven conversions and one penalty.

The local lads started like a train and scored 22 points in the first twenty minutes. They then lost some intensity and although scoring at regular intervals, didn’t play that well and made numerous errors that provided plenty of possession for the opposition to run back at them. However, and as has been the norm this season, Medway’s defence was resolute and although Heathfield tried hard, they just could not break through to score.

Playing up the slight slope and into the gentle breeze Medway got the score board ticking over after six minutes when the impressive Fiu Samuela won a turn over and Heathfield were penalised. Ollie Best kicked the relatively straight forward penalty.

In the next ten minutes Medway scored three excellent “team” tries; firstly Charlie Wardzynski drew the defence and released Leo Liua’ana to score under the posts.

Then Billy Humphrey’s fine off-load allowed Max Easton to touch down and lastly, a great team move with Best heavily involved, allowed the ever present Tom Beaumont to score the first of his two tries. 22-0 with only a quarter of the game gone, but Medway then took their foot off the gas and Heathfield enjoyed plenty of good possession and field position.

Despite running good lines and recycling the ball quickly, Heathfield could not break the home team’s determined defence. The half time score remained at 22-0 and home supporters were wondering if the important forth bonus point try would ever come.

Heathfield dominated the early exchanges of the second period but a remarkable individual solo effort, somewhat against the run of play, by Luke Burns broke the deadlock.

He beat numerous defenders and appeared to run through the whole of the Heathfield team before touching down after nine minutes.

Immediately afterwards Owain Fussell made a fine break and released the supporting Ollie Best to score under the posts. Best then made a break himself, and passed to Beaumont for his second try. James Dance was next on the score board after stealing the ball at the back of a Heathfield scrum and then on the stroke of full time, Sam Catlin hacked the ball through and beat the defence to the touch down and complete the scoring.

Ollie Best deservedly took the man of the match award but the whole team did well and again showed they are a very competent all round outfit. The pack played well with Easton, Beaumont Huntley and Samuela outstanding in the loose and in defence.

Burns and Fussell were again a constant threat in the centre and Leo Liua’ana worked hard all afternoon and made tackle after tackle.

Overall a pleasing performance and a useful work out after three weeks of inactivity.

Medway team;
Petch, Humphrey, Cooley, Easton, Weobley, Huntely, Beaumont, Samuela, Dance, Best, Liua’ana, Fussell, Burns, Chalmers, Wardzynski, Brice, Catlin, Reddish.

Next game is away at Crowborough in the League on Saturday 18st January 2014, kick-off 1415.

Old Priorians knocked Medway out of the Intermediate Cup on Saturday in atrocious weather conditions and on a very muddy pitch at Priestfields.

Despite the loss against a good side who sit second in the London North West 2, the local lads can take heart from a good performance that, on another day, could easily have been enough to win the game.

Medway chose to play up the slope and into the howling wind and driving rain in the first half and executed the game plan well. Their defence was again solid, and when in possession they used the forwards and centres to punch holes and make important yardage.

Old Priorians’ ball retention was good, but they rarely looked threatening and struggled to breach the home team’s robust defence. The Old boys did take the lead on 14 minutes through a penalty, but Medway hit back on 23 minutes when following a positive passage of play, the forwards took a scrum against the head, and number 8 Doug Ebanks, scored a try wide on the left.

Somewhat fortunately, Old Prionians regained the lead after 31 minutes when Medway twice failed to deal with tap back from the line out and the visitors were gifted with the simplest of tries. Half time score 8 – 5 to the Old Boys, and Medway looked forward to the significant assistance of the elements in the second period.

Unfortunately, thereafter things didn’t go quite to plan! Medway conceded three penalties in the first three minutes of the second half and on each occasion the Old Boys progressed up the field, kicking the third from right in front of the posts to extend their lead to 11-5. Things got worse as the local lads just couldn’t do anything without conceding a penalty.

It is hard to believe but during the whole of the second half, the referee awarded the Old Boys fourteen penalties and only one to Medway, and that didn’t come until the 39th minute!

As things became desperate, Medway threw caution to the wind and a handling error on 37 minutes cost them a try which effectively sealed the game for the Old Boys, 18 – 5. As the barrage of penalties dried up in the last few minutes of the game, Medway were able to exert good pressure on the Old Boys line and Ollie Best scored a consolation try following a good handling move by the three quarters.

So, well done to Old Priorians, who were gracious in victory. They played the conditions well and their ball retention and work at the breakdown was very good.

Despite the result, there were a number of positives to take from the game for Medway. The forwards again showed signs of improvement at the set piece. Richard Petch got through a huge work load and made tackle after tackle. Samuela, Beaumont, Easton and Reddish all impressed, and Billy Humphrey had his best game of the season thus far.

Young Charlie Wardzynski is looking more and more comfortable at full back and again showed flair and strength when in possession. Another youngster, Conor Chalmers is also doing very well and holding off stiff competition from the more senior wingers.

Medway team: Cooley, Humphrey, Petch, Easton, Reddish, Beaumont, Samuela, Ebanks, Dance, Best, Liua’ana, Fussell, Burns, Chalmers, Wardzynski, Weobley, Flanagan, Catlin, Brice.

Next game is away against Crowborough in the league on Saturday 4th January 2014.