Match Report:  06 Jan 07,

Old Gravesdendians III 3 vs Maidstone V 5

(Try: Gillies)

On a day and on a pitch that brought to mind those famous images of Gareth Edwards and Fran Cotton caked in mud, the Stones’ grit and determination (exemplified by man of the match, 60 year old flanker Steve Pooley) eventually saw them home.  Scrum-half Mike Gillies’ try late in the second half, minutes after Old Gravesendians had taken the lead through a penalty kick, proved to be the decisive factor.

The game was played on the infamous OG’s ‘bowl’.  Consequently the vast majority of the game was played in the middle of the pitch on a surface that could only be described as sludge (and drew comparisons with the visitors very own ‘Somme’).   With neither team seriously threatening the scoreboard, except perhaps when one of the Barbarians’ wizened old front row stalwarts gave away 30 yards for back-chatting the referee, the game seemed destined for a 0-0 draw.

With about 10 minutes of normal time to go however, the home team, through a kick and chase and some slack defending from the visitors, were awarded a penalty in front of the sticks that was duly slotted.  OGs thought they had the game won; the Stones’ skipper Martin Carr though had other ideas!

Using his own variation of the children’s classic ‘Puss in Boots’ tale, Carr inspired his comrades to dig even deeper.  The Barbarians’ forwards drove ever closer to the try line to enable Gillies to crash over in the corner and clinch victory.  Even then the Stones had to survive what seemed like an   endless supply of injury time to take the spoils before heading for a well earned shower!