Gosport & Fareham  7                         Maidstone  33

For the first time in recent weeks Maidstone were forced to make a number of team changes due to availabilities. Three players come in with, an additional two positional changes, Dave Charlton moving from full back to stand off and Tim Porter switching from wing to full back. Cameron Anning making his first start for the team having come on last week from the bench and Nick Sargent made his first start since injury before the Christmas break. Tom Rogers returned to the front row after his trip to Rome last week, with Rob Jeffery moving to the bench.

Maidstone arrived in, a surprisingly spring like Gosport; with the weight of expectation on their shoulders seeking their sixth consecutive win. There would be no room for complacency however as Gosport had posted a win and draw from their last two games against higher placed opposition.

The game got off to a less than auspicious start as hooker Rogers, fresh from Rome, contrived to knock on from the kick off. After only three minutes Gosport were awarded a penalty on the Maidstone ten metre line , almost directly in front of the posts , after Ryan was adjudged to have been offside following a grubber kick from Charlton. Gosport fullback Smallbone however failed to convert the points.

After some to and fro play Gosport conceded a penalty for offside at a ruck and Craig Whitehead added the three points.

Maidstone then showed signs of why they have been successful over recent weeks but unforced errors denied them scoring opportunities, allowing Gosport to keep the pressure on.

Almost mid way through the half a further penalty was awarded for a Gosport player failing to roll away in the tackle and White head duly converted the points to take the score to six. A few minutes later Gosport lock Fred Dugan was forced to leave the field with a leg injury, he was replaced by Trevor McAlister. After some further good play from a driving maul Nick Sargent knocked on as he attempted to dive for the line , could this followed by a missed penalty from Whitehead, be important to the final outcome.

With the half coming to an end Gosport secured the ball from a five metre line out and after a rolling maul, flanker Brett Gamblin crossed the line and with the ensuing two points from the boot of Smallbone, Gosport reached half time leading seven points to six. Maidstone would have to cut out the errors if the second period was to prove to be a reversal.

The second half started, with prop Hollister replaced by Jeffery, much as before with Maidstone quickly exerting pressure on the Gosport line. There then followed two decisions which significantly influenced the game , the first was the award of a penalty try to Maidstone following a controlled driving maul, the referee being given no other choice  as Gosport players came in at the side in an attempt to prevent the try being scored. Whitehead converted to take the score to thirteen points to seven. Shortly after this Maidstone was chasing a kick out from their twenty two by Neil Graves when Gosport centre Jonathan Wood tackled Maidstone’s James Ferris without the ball in front of their posts. To the anguish of the home supporters Wood was sent to the bin for ten minutes and Whitehead slotted home for another three points.

With the man advantage and a less spirited Gosport, Maidstone then pressed home their advantage with Mark Ryan scoring the first of his two break away tries. Following some pressure from Gosport, Ryan gathered the ball in his twenty two and raced down field and with a cleverly placed kick ahead regained the ball and scored in the corner, taking the score to twenty one points, the try went unconverted. No sooner had Gosport returned to full strength and Maidstone brought on fresh legs through Dan Cummings and Alex Smith, making his first appearance in the side. By now a slightly dejected Gosport were feeling the pressure and from a misdirected kick out from their twenty two, full back Porter gathered the kick and set off for the line , spotting that no one was at home he kicked ahead and out paced the defence to score in the corner. With the score at twenty six points to seven Gosport threw caution to the wind and as can so often happen when chasing the game they lost possession on the Maidstone ten metre and a grateful Mark Ryan scooped up the ball and ran fully 60 metres unopposed to touch down, with the successful conversion the score went to thirty three points.

The remainder of the half petered out without further score leaving Maidstone to run out worthy winners. On this current form Maidstone must remain confident of maintaining a top half table finish.

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