The threes kept up their one hundred percent record with comfortably their best performance so far this season against Thanet at the Mote, scoring eight tries and playing some great rugby in the process.

The dream team was given a boost when, just twenty minutes before kick-off, their illustrious leader walked into the changing room. The surprise wasn’t so much that Ross was getting changed earlier than usual, it was the fact that he was supposed to be in the USA. It turns out that the prospect of missing out on his weekly dose of rugby spurred him to cutting his trip short and catching the first available flight back to the UK.

Come match time, it didn’t take the dream team long to get into their stride. After a scrappy opening few minutes, Maidstone mounted their first meaningful attack of the game, putting winger Stu Bates away down the right before he was tackled in the Thanet 22. Support was quick in arriving and after clearing the ruck, the ball was passed through several pairs of hands before arriving at Mattison on the left wing. His opposite number scragged him just before the line but Mattison showed good composure to find blindside flanker Andy West on his inside who went over in the corner. The conversion hit the post to leave the score 5-0 after five minutes.

Buoyed by the early breakthrough, the home side soon doubled their advantage. A powerful run by centre Matt Hayton made good ground up the middle and Maidstone found themselves in what would become familiar territory – the Thanet 22. As with the first try, Maidstone secured the ball from a ruck on the right and span it wide to the left where Nash – who had an excellent game - popped up in the outside centre position. He sold a great dummy and showed an excellent burst of speed to crash over in the corner. The touchline conversion didn’t have the legs and Maidstone were 10-0 up after ten minutes.

The third try was perhaps the best of the eight. After winning ball from the Thanet lineout just inside their own half, Hayton made a half break in the centre. The forwards arrived quickly to clear out and the ball went down the line to Mattison on the left wing. He brilliantly evaded three Thanet defenders and pinned his ears back for the line but, as with the opening try, was caught from behind just yards short. He again showed great hands to pop inside to the flying Baxter, who touched down by the posts. Baxter converted his own score to make it 17-0.

Maidstone were looking dangerous every time they got the ball and, unfortunately for the visitors, this was a lot. On the rare occasions Thanet won possession, they were pinned deep in their own 22 and forced to kick. This gave Maidstone the platform to mount attack after attack.

The fourth try went to fullback Eugene Moore. Maidstone won a scrum on the ten-metre line and moved the ball down the line. In an effort to cover the marauding Maidstone centres, the Thanet defence found themselves too narrow. Moore took full advantage, timing his entrance into the line well to burst through a gap in the line. He had too much pace for his opposite number and went over in the right corner. The conversion was missed and with the half almost at an end, the score was 22-0.

Not content with playing out the final minutes of the half, Maidstone continued to press. The restart was gathered well by the Maidstone pack and, several phases later, Thanet had cleared into touch after some scrambling defence. From the lineout the home pack drove to within yards of the Thanet line before spinning the ball wide once more. Wood cut back inside from Baxter’s cut pass and ran back into traffic. Somehow nobody in the entire Thanet pack so much as laid a finger on him and Wood went under the posts for the fifth try of the half. Baxter added the extras to give Maidstone a deserved 29-0 half-time lead.

While Maidstone continued to dominate the match in the second period, the efforts of the first 40 minutes had taken their toll and the dream team was unable to maintain the pace and precision that saw them race into a five try lead.

The second half was ten minutes old when Maidstone added their next score. Thanet once more found themselves pinned deep in their own territory with their scrum under intense pressure. When the ball popped out of the side of the Thanet scrum on the five-metre line, Maidstone No. 8 Tom Challis was first to react, swooping on the loose ball and diving over. The conversion was missed and Maidstone were 34-0 up with a half-hour still to play.

Just a few minutes later, the home side almost added their seventh. Several quick phases saw Maidstone create an overlap – with the Maidstone forwards outnumbering the Thanet backs on the left. Fish sucked in two men before releasing the pass to Simon Wright, who flopped over the line only to have his score denied when the referee somewhat harshly signalled a forward pass.

With both sides tiring, the ball was being knocked on with more frequency. This suited Maidstone down to the ground as they continued to push the Thanet pack back at every scrum. The seventh try came when the visiting full back was driven back over his own line to give Maidstone a five metre scrum and the chance of the pushover. The pack duly delivered with a controlled drive that took the ball to within inches of the line before Tugwell cruelly poached the score from his hard working forwards. The conversion was missed to make it 39-0 with ten to play.

With minutes to play, and both sets of players looking forward to getting to the bar, Maidstone struck for the final score of the game. Thanet spilled the ball in the midfield and Maidstone broke down the left through Tugwell. He sucked in two defenders and put Mattison away, who for the first time of the afternoon was able to win the race to the line for a well deserved try.

Final score 44-0.

1. Laing (Capt), 2. Wright, 3. Maytum, 4. Fish, 5. Nash (Try), 6. West (Try), 7. Williams, 8. Challis (Try), 9. Tugwell (Try), 10. Baxter (Try), 11. Mattison (Try), 12. Wood (Try), 13. Hayton, 14. Bates, 15. Moore (Try)