Match Report
Maidstone 5th XV 32 – Gillingham Anchorian 3's
Following on from last weeks nail biting training match the Mighty Maidstone Barbarians marched confidently into our first league game of the season.
With many numbers throughout the club for selection this week getting the team right was crucial, importantly, not one single higher team player was involved, the only non 5th team player being hooker and field captain Pete Grey on loan to us from the Vets. To show their appreciation of 5th team loyalty, the Barbarians were not going to disappoint.
With 5 subs agreed between the two captains and optional water breaks at the referee's discretion the game was set under way with 50% of the replacements available on the day, including 3 ex-skippers Dave Eiffert, Martin Carr and Trevor Bradley, then becoming ardent and extremely vocal supporters.
From the word go Maidstone were the aggressors. A slight see-saw to and fro across the pitch had us a little concerned as every offensive opportunity lead to a penalty against us.
The aggression was soon to pay off, with the Anchorian forwards pulled into the rucks, a well presented ball found its way fly half Maff Newman. A feat of light foot work and nimble hands was to follow, even as the trickster was finally brought down the handiwork continued. He popped the ball up to no other than Richard Nunn who clattered his way through the sluggish Anchorian centers. Their full back stood no chance, tossed aside Richard Nunn marched his way across the lines to open the scoring with an unconverted try.
The second kick off landed into the hands of our front row, a bad move on the Anchorians part as Pete Grey smashed his way forward with full support.
Holding off the offence for a brief moment, Mike Gillies organized a well timed assault, with successive phases of play the ball was received by Mark Burrill who proved to be an unstoppable force. Crashing his way across the line, an outstretched hand scored the second unconverted try of the game.
During this 1st half the Anchorians had one saving grace, their No.8, he was a weapon..... especially in the lineouts. He was defeating our own jumpers on most put ins so the Anchorians were looking to utilize every lineout opportunity...... (Although I have been told that there was confusion between pods and calls) Unfortunately for them, a defensive lineout gone wrong saw Coach Colin Frost secure their put in and set up a maul.
The maul marched forwards, the ground was being made, the entire Anchorians pack, pushed back by the Barbarians tight 5, the Maul ended in the 22 with a penalty against us, again opting to kick into touch Ben Foskett this time secured the put in. The following maul saw a hard drive and quick dispatch, not to the backs but in the hands of the Tom Clarke who lead the offence with a roar into the collapsing Anchorian defense scoring the third try of the game.
An unfortunate mishap saw the re-start moving quickly to Ben Foskett, whose pace in the forwards is unrivalled. Defeating every other man on the pitch it was his own kick that let him down, as the ball bounced out of bounds it marked the end of the first half.
The half time team talk discussed options for the replacements, a staggered approach was opted for refreshing players every 10 minutes through out the half, the Anchorians making all but one of their subs at half time.
This tactic ensured a different game could be played with new legs in key positions ensuring different plays with each phase.
Unfortunately Mark Burrill collapsed off the pitch with an injured shin very early into the 2nd half. Trev and I made our first sub with Karim Neseyif returning after 4 seasons out due to injury, stepping into the 2nd row he really made his presence known with his experienced attacking lines and solid performance with the heavy work.
With the Maidstone offence continuing the 2nd change was made, Eddie was off for last weeks star player Scott Andrews stepping into the full back position. The reinforced back line with the refreshed 2nd row caused devastating attacks, the communication between half backs and full back was crucial to the phase play and before long centre Lance Lewis was seen stamping the ball down between the uprights. A double movement rule was enforced however and the try was not awarded.
With Trev and myself wandering whether to make the change now or not we watched an amazing play occur. Veteran hooker Pete Grey had secured their put in, the 2nd row was driving forward. An exhausted Steve Oakley picked the ball off the scrum and dragged Ben Foskett with him. Oakley required numerous players to even so much as slow him down, the unmarked Ben Foskett broke away for yet another unconverted try.
Now came our 3rd change, sexagenarian Steve Pooley for Oakley, Colin Frost moving to No.8 with Pooley playing blindside flank. The Anchorians made their 4th substitution also.
Immediately the Anchorian back row saw what they thought was a weakness.....it was not. Their flanker blundered his way onto the lose ball attempting a break off the scrum. Pooley taught the poor youth a lesson or two of experience with a superbly timed tackle and stole the ball to lead another offence.
Maff Newman dummied his way across the pitch, followed closely by Foskett again, looking to off load Maff turned the wrong way and was brought down in front of the line without the opportunity to offload to Ben.
With this offence stopped short, a defensive error saw the Anchorians pushing us back up the pitch.
For 5 minutes the Anchorian's kept the Barbarians in their own half. Nearing the last 10 minutes it was decided to make our last changes, we utilized our heavier weight flanking pair captain Quinny and Mike Gammon, we entered the pitch pitch with a defensive mind set looking to play supporting roles, their impact was crucial and what started as a defense quickly became a brutal offence.
Within seconds I had dispatched the pacey fly half leaving him writhing in pain on the grass infront of the try line, a turn around of events, one which I have worked hard to achieve since last week.
With a number of scrums going our way, a powerful drive and massively aggressive back row the Maidstone defense had become a weapon, the scrum was our tool, the half backs our targets, any and every player that stood in our way was tossed asside.
The play surged forward, a powerful drive saw 2nd row Paul Kelly hammering his way into the Anchorian defense, bodys flying about the brutal forward. Support from the team was superb, the entire pack entered the drive. With the ground work laid it was Tom Clarke who pushed his way through to score a 2nd try.
The restart came to Steve Pooley, closely supported by Pete Grey. The ball span wildly out of the ruck, hurtling towards a prop like beast of a flanker.
Thinking he could simply toss aside the fluffy blonde haired nutcase chasing the ball he squared up, as he turned head over heels, fists flailing, it was Quinny who came out on top with a step over the belly the ball found its way Scott Andrews moving at full pace.
The youthful full back sped across the pitch making and breaking his own gaps followed by the forwards.
As Andrews hit the final wall he found himself desperately fighting to keep on his feet as the flanking pair linked up. The speed of the impact was mind shattering, the last thing I remember before that impact was the look of sheer horror on the Anchorian face directly infront of me. Effortlessly we marched this "defense" backwards, a single solid drive.
An Anchorian running the touch line said "he's got muscles on his knee caps, I wouldn't want to ruck against him" not wanting to prove him wrong we marched this defense backwards rolling the ball with us until winger Steve Jones secured and scored in the corner to finish the game.
This week showed that this team can consistently play well, a real tribute to our summer training efforts. It has proven our theory that a team that trains together, plays together.
A team that plays together....... wins together.
With only one converted try of the game, the final score, the Mighty Maidstone Barbarians - 32, Gillingham Anchorian 3's - 0
With 4 points in the bag and the only clean sheet we are have started our campaign in the best possible manner.
Point Scorers in alphabetical order:
Ben Foskett 5
Mark Burrill 5
Pete Grey 2
Richard Nunn 5
Steve Jones 5
Tom Clarke 10 - Man of the Match