Weekly News Round-Up 9th April 2006
With the end of the season rapidly approaching, this was the last week of home games at the Mote before we say good-bye to 2005/6.
The First Team were away at Lewes where fortunately they were playing, not to avoid relegation but to finish as high as possible in the league with a top 3 place still possible. After conceding 26 points in the first half, Maidstone made a great comeback to have a chance to win the game in the last minute, but a drop goal attempt hit the up-right and the game was lost 26-24.
The Mustangs played away at Gravesend II where they were good enough to win 31-10 in their penultimate Invicta League match.
The A Team played at home against Hastings & Bexhill II in the Mid Kent A League. H&B turned up with only 13 players but since they were playing for the chance to finish 2nd in the League, they declined the offer of a player rather than concede potential League points. They then proceeded to give a pretty good account of themselves but ultimately went down by 50 points to 24 against a
Maidstone side that was certainly not firing on all cylinders.
The Extra A were due to play Whitstable II at the Mote but it was decided that there werent enough players available to get a team together this week, which was a great shame as it would have been Tony Lee's last game in charge as Skipper (before he goes off to join the Navy) and the team were buzzing after the great win against TJ4 the week before. However, Maidstone Veterans agreed to give up their fixture with Lordswood Vets and play against Whitstable II instead. This was a decision that nearly back-fired as Whitstable were only able to muster 9 players in the end and it was only due to the vast pool of subs that Glyn was able to offer Whitstable, that a game took place at all. I gather that Maidstone won but since there were at least 6 Maidstone players on the Whitstable team, you could also argue that they (or some of them) lost. It was a great shame to cry-off the Lordswood Vets fixture as the 2 sides have enjoyed some very competitive games in recent seasons but since this was only te 3rd scheduled fixture that we have failed to honour this season out of the 180 odd fixtures on the list, I think we should just be pleased that it doesnt happen more often. Lordswood didnt seem too bothered incidentally, as they were keen to get as much support down to Aylesford as possible where their 1st Team played Aylesford in the League and where, I gather, they won.
The B Team travelled down to Hastings to play H&B III in the last league game of the season and their last fixture with Trevor Bradley in charge. The team looked pretty good as it assembled before the game and it really needed to be as H&B trundled out a huge and well-drilled team to confront them. In a hugely enjoyable game of rugby, Maidstone held off the H&B onslaught for 20 minutes before conceding and then hit back immediatley with a try from Mike Gillies. 10 - 5 down at half-time, Maidstone were unable to take advantage of the strong wind in the 2nd half and despite shoving the H&B scrum all over the park and a late try from Dave Corfield, lost 20-12. It was a shame not to win this "Battle of Hastings" and end the sequence of losses in 2006, but when rugby can be enjoyed as much as this game was, the result seems less relevant and certainly there is no sign that the spirit in the B team is anything other than buoyant. Sincere thanks are due to Trevor Bradley for his captaincy of this side overthe last 3 seasons and good luck to Martin Carr who will be taking over the hallowed mantle next season.
Next week, there are no games over the Easter week-end, but the following week sees the Firsts away to League leaders Portsmouth, The Mustangs away to T Wells II and the A team away to Sheppey II in the last games of the season, whilst the Vets go to Amsterdam to fulfill their tough annual touring schedule (well, someone has to do it !!)
Pleased to say that people seemed to enjoy the social evening on the 7th and it was good to see so many people turn out to enjoy the comedy, the music and the food. Thanks for all the complimentary comments about the band and thanks especially to the Capelins and Iles for their excellent catering on the night and of course during the course of the season where the quality and variety of their culinary endeavours have been superb.
RE