SENIOR NEWS ROUND-UP 28th NOVEMBER 2005

 

It's pleasing to note that the club achieved its first clean sweep of the season, with 5 senior sides achieving wins.  The only disappointment was that the Veteran’s home fixture against Tonbridge Judds  Vets did not proceed owing to a late cry off from TJs, so there was never a chance to record 6 wins from 6.  Instead the Vets had to content themselves with playing a 10 a side match amongst themselves as there was nothing available on the fixture exchange to replace the TJ game.

 

The Ist Team made fairly hard work of notching up 50 points odd against Folkestone today in the Kent Cup. In fairness, anyone who missed the first half (like me) would have missed the best part as the game was over as a contest by half-time and the two scores that came in the second half were scant reward for the number of attacks that were mounted on Folkestone’s well defended try line.  For anyone who found this rather dull fare, I gather that there was some attractive alternative entertainment on offer for spectators on the lower pitch where Maidstone Under 18s were despatching a pretty good Eastbourne side by 33 points to nil.

 

The Mustangs result against Dartfordians II in the Invicta League was probably the highlight of the weekend.  Dartfordians are never a push-over and yet the Mustangs racked up an impressive 44-15 win.

 

More predictably, The A Team achieved a 48- 0 victory over East Peckham to consolidate their position at the top of the Mid Kent A League, including a hat-trick of tries for winger, Stuart Bates.

 

The Extra A, under the leadership of Monty and bolstered by a couple of stray Veterans, played a friendly  against Cranbrook IIIs (and possibly a few from higher up the club) which made for a very competitive fixture, edged by Maidstone 20-17.  This was followed by some competitive drinking in the Cranbrook Club-House, which is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit on the Kent circuit.

 

The B meanwhile, in the absence of their iconic skipper Trevor, went to Sittingbourne under the leadership of trusty stand-in Paul Arthurs to play a friendly against Sittingbourne IIIs.  The game was won by Maidstone 14 – 7, thanks to excellent solo tries from Stumpy and from international man of mystery AN Other, who enjoyed his day out amongst his old mates in the B team for the day.

 

Not much else to report this week. Now that the Autumn Internationals have finished we can hope that there will be fewer cry offs in the coming weeks.  (It was a treat to see Wales kick off against Australia at 5:00 pm on Saturday, enabling rugby players up and down the country to watch the match. Shame they don’t all kick off at this time)

 

Kick off times are all 2:15 from now until February.

 

Next week, Maidstone host Portsmouth who are currently 2^nd in the table, having won 6 out of 9 games to date (a somewhat better record than their round-ball counterparts at Fratton Park). One of the games they lost however was an 18-0 defeat to Sutton & Epsom who were themselves beaten by Maidstone, so if Maidstone can show the sort of form they displayed in beating Thanet last week, anything could happen.

 

Any Subs not yet paid are now well over-due. Sign a standing Order form this week and make our Treasurer smile.

 

RE

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