Tunbridge Well 26  Maidstone 21

Maidstone have only themselves to blame with far too much indicipline for this defeat at Tunbridge Wells on Saturday.
Coming into match being too comfortable in a mid table position against a side desperate to escape the relegation Zone,they should have expected the fierce first 15 minute  onslaught from Wells.To compound matters they were reduced to 14 men on 2 separate occasions with 2 men  on yellow cards!Tunbridge Wells kicked the first penalty within 3 minutes and followed this up with a try following a quick tap penalty shortly afterwards.

Maidstone continued to fall faul of the referee but the hosts were unable to extend their lead as a result.It was a full 20 minutes before Maidstone began to settle down and inspite of yielding considerable weight advantage won some rare clean ball at a scrum.

Scrum Half James Ferris neatly kicked over the scrum on the half way line for Mark Ryan following up  and plucking the ball from the air  was able to steady himself and race  down the touch line and then rounded the posts for Mitchell to get the extras.Wells hit back with another try and a penalty soon after wards.Deissner then got the first of the yellow cards after a general warning from the referee.Maidstone got their forwards rumbling up the pitch from the half way line and with Ferris again timing his pass well for Mark Ryan to barge over for his second try.A penalty near the home line saw Maidstone choose strangely the scrum option against the bigger pack in favour of the kick,and thus lost the points opportunity.

With the backs unable to get sufficient clean ball Maidstone were being continually frustrated and now annoyed by some bizarre decisions from the official who was being judged on the touch line by officials.Sargent picked up the second yellow card.They conceeded 2 more penalties but inspite of this their defence held firm as it was the visitors who scored the next try.The movement was started behind their own line by Scott Mitchell who broke round behind his own posts and got to the half way line and inspite of the attention of the wells backs was able to break down the right wing to find Jamie Smith on hand to ran 35 metres to the line,past the defending full back to score at the posts.

Maidstone looked very dangerous with ball in hand,but for a few more opportunities the result would have been different.A lesson must be learnt from this result.

Scorers Tries ,Ryan(2),J Smith
Conversations Mitchell(3)

Team:Deissner,Stockford  J Smith,Arnold(capt),Ryan, Mitchell,Ferris,Hollister,Davis Farbrace, Bacon, Matthews,Sargent,Ridgean,Court
Replacements;Walker,Johnston,Porter