Match Report - Saturday 15 Sept 07

Tunbridge Wells 23 v Maidstone 25

Maidstone were able to kick start their season with a solid performance picking up their first league points of the season.  This was a hard fought and entertaining battle as these local derby’s often are, although Maidstone probably created more scoring opportunities than the 2-point advantage shows, and they certainly demonstrated much more drive and imagination than the previous weeks lacklustre performance.  Playing up the slope for the first half, Maidstone seemed to make a competent start from the kick off and forced wells back to their own 22m.  However, it was turnover ball that was to be the key to the majority of the afternoons scoring and it was Maidstone who were first to suffer from poor ball retention, Wells were quick to pounce and moved the ball quickly breaking through the midfield cover from their own 22m with No8 Cockerton in support to take the scoring pass, Murtagh failed to convert and Maidstone found themselves 5 points down in as many minutes.

Maidstone started to build up pressure for the next few minutes but the majority of play was in midfield but on the 15 minute mark after several phases of midfield play it was Wells who were on the score sheet again when Murtagh joined the line from fullback to make the incisive break and feed hooker Acklam to cross in the right hand corner.  Despite being 10 points down, Maidstone stuck to their task and within 3 minutes had cut that deficit in half; from a lineout on the Wells 10m line quick ball fed Piers Francis who made the miss pass to Mark Ryan who cut the line at pace and outstripped the fullback to score from 40m out.

The run in to half time saw Maidstone benefit from a man advantage when Wells skipper Binham was yellow carded for dangerous play when taking out Sam Johnson in a line out.  Even without Binham’s absence the Maidstone line out was functioning well and they were unlucky when this platform provided quick ball to release the backs only for winger Dane Smith to be judged to have a foot in touch when crossing in the right hand corner.  Just before the break saw Wells restored to 15 men, but no sooner had one offender set foot on the field than Wells hooker, Acklam either said or did something to upset the referee and found himself yellow carded.

Maidstone were able to go into to the interval with a 5-point lead following Francis penalty and a try which came from a poor Murtagh clearance kick which allowed the forwards to drive and then feed the backs where good hands between Dane Smith, Mark Ryan and finally skipper Martin Arnold saw the touch down to the right of the posts and Francis adding the extra two points.

The second half saw Maidstone playing down the slope, but from the kick off they were under pressure and within minutes of the restart and despite taking Wells ball at a lineout on their own 22m, they then turned over possession which Wells recycled quickly to feed right wing Grobler to cross for the score with Murtagh adding the extras.  Maidstone responded quickly to retake the lead when Wells were penalised at the restart and Francis converted the penalty.  The next few minutes saw Wells apply pressure on the Maidstone 22m with Fly-Half Giles taking the opportunity of a drop goal to retake the lead, in what appeared to be Wells’ intention, of scoring points on each visit to the opposing 22m.

Maidstone entered the final quarter of the game facing a 5-point deficit with Giles having extended Wells lead with another drop goal.  However, Maidstone stuck to their task and were next on the scoreboard, when they were able to steal a Wells lineout, the resultant quick ball released Gary Whitehead who was able to commit the midfield defence and feed Ryan who in turn supplied winger Smith to cross the line close enough to the posts for Francis to earn the extra points and give Maidstone the lead 23-25.  A further break by Dave Heads could have increased the margin, but in committing the Wells fullback he was unable to make a clean pass to Arnold with the line begging.  As the final whistle approached Maidstone then put themselves under extra pressure when a lack of discipline allowed Wells into their 22m, Maidstone were again penalised and can count themselves lucky that a very kickable attempt at goal with what was the last kick of the match, narrowly missed.

Scorers: 

Maidstone:

Tries – Ryan, Arnold, Smith.

Conversion – Francis (2)

Penalty – Francis (2)

Tunbridge Wells:

Tries – Cockerton, Acklam, Grobler

Conversion – Murtagh

Drop Goal – Giles (2)

Team:

Rob Jeffrey (Martin Farbrace 65 mins): Fin Davis: Ben Williams; Steve Matthews: Sam Johnson; Nick Taylor: John O’Brien: Nick Sargent (Ian Lee 50 mins); Dave Heads; Piers Francis; Gary Whitehead: Mark Ryan; Dane Smith; Nick Diessner; Martin Arnold (capt).

Res: Ian Howson – not used

 

Photos from this match can be viewed here, courtesey of Bruce Elliot.