MAIDSTONE           23               BECKENHAM            21

For the second week running Maidstone sneaked a win late into injury time when Beckenham failed with a penalty, which would have won them the match.  Maidstone head coach Tim McBennett said he was pleased with what he assessed as a ‘solid’ performance against a side that finished strongly in the League last season. Two tries each from scrumhalf Dave Heads and centre Mark Ryan were conclusive for Maidstone.

Maidstone scored four tries against two in this well contested match that makes McBennett’s point.  But Beckenham’s fight back from 18- 3 down just after half time to 18-16 with just minutes to go, was far too close for comfort. It certainly had the both sets of supporters, reaching for their anxiety pills by the end.

While Maidstone were often under pressure in the forwards down the slope, with the strong sun against them in the first half, it was clear the Maidstone threequarters were superior to Beckenham’s generally predictable backs.  But a strong element of this match was the often heroic defensive performance from the Maidstone pack. Time and again in the first half they held off their opponents.  But early season handling errors and some wrong decision making at times, created their own pressure. But overall Maidstone had that extra edge and their first try by an interception by skipper Martin Arnold in midfield was a good example.

Well supported by Mark Ryan, now establishing himself in the centre who raced from wide out to score.  Within six minutes, Maidstone had scored again after a forward drive from lineout, saw scrum half Dave Heads whip around to score.  This was Heads last match for Maidstone until he returns from university at Christmas .On this performance they may well need to haul him back in an emergency. A penalty apiece from Maidstone’s fly half Gary Whitehead and Beckenham’s Gary Thompson saw the home side lead 13 – 3 at the interval.

A crucial try for Maidstone came just after half time, when Heads picked up a loose ball to race 30 metres to score wide out to lead 18-3.    But Maidstone’s ambitious approach resulted in mistakes of their own making. Beckenham benefited and were still well in the match. When two further penalties came from fly half Thompson and then a try from loose play by replacement Alex Jones, Maidstone knew they had a battle when their lead shrunk to two points at 18-16. But an inspirational weaving run from Ryan in the closing minutes to score lightened the anxiety. But more anxiety was to come when Beckenham winger Lawrence Tapper scored from the wing.

With only a 23-21 lead pressure for Maidstone told again when Beckenham were given a penalty seven minutes into injury time. Good fortune was with the home side and they went away with two league points.

Maidstone scorers.

Tries:     Dave Heads 2 Mark Ryan 2

Penalties:  Gary Whitehead 1

Beckenham scorers.

Tries:   Alex Jones, Lawrence  Tapper.

Conversions: Gary Thompson 1

Penalties Gary Thompson 3