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Match Report
Sidcup 14 v Maidstone 9
by Trevor Langley
London 2 South
Away at Sidcup, Saturday 17 January, 2009, Kick Off –2.00pm
In the words of Head Coach, Tim McBennett, what Maidstone lacked in this match against Sidcup, was rhythm: possession and territorial advantage came down firmly in Maidstone’s court but the consistency required to mount concerted pressure on the Sidcup defence eluded them. As a consequence, Maidstone fell just short, losing 14-9; but this was a match that they could, and should, have won.
Sam McPherson, a recent recruit from Dover, made his 1st team starting debut at scrum half. And with Luke Debnam at prop and Jack Lamb at open side, youthful endeavour was in plentiful supply throughout the side. But it was the veterans of the pack that got Maidstone off to a good start with Matthews and Bacon making noticeable inroads into Sidcup territory in the opening exchanges.
With five minutes on the clock, Neil Graves made a penetrating run down the right to establish good field position and from the resulting ruck in the Sidcup 22, Maidstone gained a penalty. The golden-locked Piers Francis, in his last game for the club before leaving for New Zealand, confidently converted.
Maidstone’s lead lasted less than five minutes. Following a poor clearance, Sidcup moved the ball confidently through their three quarters and were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, which stand-off Hardy converted to level the scores. A further penalty against Maidstone five minutes later, from a similar position, saw the home team take the lead.
By this time, the Stone’s early advantage had disappeared as familiar weaknesses resurfaced. Controlled ball from the line-out became scarcer while the scrum struggled to contain the more physical Sidcup eight. But most disappointing was the inability to maintain more than a couple of drives before a single Maidstone forward became isolated and often dispossessed.
As a result, the game was increasingly played in the Maidstone half, resulting in a further converted penalty on the half hour and the only try of the game five minutes later. From a scrum just inside their own half, Sidcup moved the ball right to feed winger Harris and from the Maidstone 10 metre line, he beat the cover to score half way out.
With Hardy, this time, missing the conversion, Maidstone remained in touch and Francis reduced the deficit just before the break when he converted a 40 metre penalty after Sidcup illegally pulled back a Maidstone player. The 14-6 scoreline reflected the balance of play in the first half, with Sidcup looking threatening when they moved the ball wide and Maidstone defending well but lacking coherence in attack.
The second half was played predominantly in the Sidcup half with Francis consistently probing for an opening through the midfield. Despite efforts to release centres Graves and Ryan, the killer pass refused to happen and Maidstone were generally well contained by the Sidcup defence. With 20 minutes gone, a penalty to the Stones on the Sidcup 22 was converted by Francis to reduce the deficit to five points and, as a consequence, putting the outcome of the game in the balance.
The yellow-carding of West, the Sidcup No 8, with 10 minutes remaining tipped the balance further in Maidstone’s direction and they gradually made their superior numbers tell. Ryan was just caught in one attack and a two-on-one opportunity, with Ryan again to the fore, should have resulted in a try.
With time running out, pressure on the home team induced a vital mistake in their 22 to give Maidstone the platform for a last minute attempt on their opponent’s line from a scrum. But when calm heads and efficient execution were called for, the Maidstone pack failed to deliver the ball and with it went the final chance of victory.
Team
John O’Brien; Fin Davis (Nick East 60 mins); Luke Debnam: Andy Bacon; Steve Matthews: Matt Iles; Jack Lamb (Ben Court 50 mins); Nick Sargent: Sam McPherson; Piers Francis: Tommy King; Neil Graves; Mark Ryan: James Sullivan (Tom Searles 72 mins): Martin Arnold
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