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Two teams with strong rivalries clashed this weekend at the Mote as Maidstone V's welcomed Cranbrook III's to the park.
Early into the game Maidstone looked strong with consistently good scrummaging and quick breaks from the backs punching holes into the Cranbrook defense.
The Maidstone pack successfully able to roll the ball forward won many Cranbrook scrums and held the visitors against their own lines early on.
Scrum Half, "the Frenchman" Julien Marques repeatedly tearing through the Cranbrook defense was able to touch the ball down between the posts.
Maidstone certain they had scored, cheering in celebration couldn't believe their ears as the call "held up" was given followed by a Cranbrook Scrum to defend their lines. Not a decision we were happy about.
Maidstone showing true spirit fought back, a well won scrum and Marques sending the pass of the game, a superbly timed miss pass to the inside centre Richard Nunn saw him crashing over the lines.
Without doubt Maidstone had scored this time and Nunn sent the ball between the posts for a well earned conversion.
The remainder of the first half saw Maidstone defending their lines for what seemed an age of nail biting tension which saw winger, Richard Hadfield able to hold off a 3 on 1 situation to successfully secure the ball for and win a held up decision of his own.
The Cranbrook offense unable to penetrate the Maidstone lines were left watching as winger Gary Hickey made a superb steal and side stepped just about everyone to break away down the line making a lot of ground in the process.
With the ball into touch, the first half was over, Maidstone were winning 7-0 and had succesfully defended their lines against the cranbrook on-slaught.
The second half kicked off with Inigo Lasa, referred to by Cranbrook as a brick on legs, chasing down and winning the ball, he continued on his way hammering through the cranbrook props knocking them clean off their feet.
This was not enough however to stop Cranbrook from scoring their first try five minutes into the second half.
The second try that followed for Cranbrook was pure trained skill as the ball shifted across the lines to see a Cranbrook player slide over the try line at the far end corner with a very well deserved try.
Reduced to 14 men for the majority of the 2nd half, the Maidstone pack was starting to splinter.
With the loss of one prop and a call to go un-contested un-heard, we lost another, as Trevor Bradley was found clutching his ankle it was finally demanded that we play uncontested or not at all.
Next it was the Frenchman who hobbled off the pitch clutching his ankle following a brutal stamp.
Reduced to 13 men Maidstone pressed on, opting to hold our heads high and continue to play rather than to call the game.
A further three tries secured the victory for Cranbrook with the extra numbers proving defining.
The final score.
Cranbrook 27, Maidstone 7.
Team Details:
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