This game divided neatly into two halves. For the first forty minutes, Maidstone were a match for the visitors from the south coast, reflected in the half time score of 13-8.

In contrast, the visitors showed in the second half why they are promotion contenders, with a show of running power and slick handling that reduced the hosts to desperate defence.

Havant’s pack managed to contest the scrums on equal terms, one of the few units that has managed to achieve this feat, this season. But in addition, they brought a measure of invention to their game that led to their first try and in hooker, Trail, they had a player who continually stretched the Maidstone defence and was capable of breaking the gain line, seemingly at will.

In addition, speedy left wing, Wikes, managed to punch holes in the Maidstone midfield, especially in the second half, to add to Maidstone’s defensive workload and keep the home side on the back foot.

With Rory Beech unavailable, due to an injury picked up in last week’s game, Euan Caborn moved up to fly half with Jason Smith moving to full back. Matt Moore, returned to his usual left wing slot with Shaun Woolford making his first start on the right wing. In the pack, Adam Knight returned at second row, with Tom Chandler at blind side and Ben Brill at open side, in the absence of Lewis Stimpson, in a much changed back row.

The opening exchanges established why Havant are riding high in the league this year. They quickly showed they were prepared to run the ball and bring a quick inter-passing game into play. But after the initial exchanges, it was Maidstone that scored first with less than ten minutes on the clock.

A penalty on half way was punted to touch, deep in the visitor’s 22, by Caborn, and the subsequent catch and drive saw Craig Webb get the touch down, having inserted himself into the proceedings after a first thrust at the line had been repelled.

While Havant tried their own version of the catch and drive throughout the match, it was a much more sophisticated move, just before the half hour, that eventually undid the Maidstone defence. A break out from their own half took play deep into the Maidstone half, which incurred a penalty stopping the move.

Rather than attempt a kick at goal, the ball was punted to touch, just inside the Maidstone 22. With the catch and drive uppermost in their minds, the Maidstone defence was undone by a training ground move that saw the ball caught at the back of the line and quickly transferred back to the hooker, throwing it in, to scoot down the line to score in the corner.

An exchange of penalties saw the score move to 8-8, deep into added time. But Maidstone had the final say of the half, when from the restart, after Havant had levelled the score, they regained the ball and swept play down to the visitor’s line. With the first thrust held, they switched the point of attack and Ross Cooke was on hand to touch down in the corner and post a 13-8, half time lead.

Havant started the second half with a number of changes to their pack but this in no way diminished their capability. Rather, they upped the intensity of their game and within the first ten minutes had regained the lead.

From the kick off, a break by left wing, Wikes, demonstrated intent and while this was contained he could not be denied after five minutes when he finished off a move that saw the ball pass through many hands, to score in the left corner. A fine conversion by fly half Kight, gave Havant a two point lead, which was quickly expanded to nine, when, from the restart, another break down the left took Havant back into Maidstone territory.

This time it was replacement back row, Munden, who got the touch down, by the posts, after a quick recycling of the ball saw him with space to run through a back-peddling Maidstone defence. With Knight adding the simple conversion, Havant established a 22-13 lead.

With Maidstone having to defend in depth against a Havant back line that posed increasing questions, especially when winger Wikes inserted himself into the line, it was a measure of the defensive hard work by the home side that prevented further scores until just before the forty minute mark.

But Havant were posed one more problem on the half hour when second row, Goldring, was shown a straight red card for use of the boot, which connected with Maidstone scrum half, Morosan’s, head. This numerical advantage came too late to make much difference as, by this time, Maidstone were tiring under the attacking barrage of the visitors and couldn’t find the legs to make this indiscretion pay.

The final score came from a scrum just in the Maidstone half, Havant won the ball and with Wikes, once more coming into the line to open up the defence, a last ditch tackle was required to bring him down on the 22. But this time he managed to recycle the ball to his support players and second row, Janes, was on hand to take the final pass to score under the posts. With Knight’s conversion, the score was extended to 29-13.

This game, once again, highlighted the extras required by Maidstone if they are to challenge at the top of this league. While the pack more than held their own and the team’s defence was solid and committed, they need to be sharper in attack to stretch opposing defences and quicker to take advantage of mistakes in open play.

With skipper, Ben Williams, due to return next week, perhaps he can provide the stimulus to get Maidstone back to winning ways.

Maidstone Danny Baker; Josh Pankhurst; Nathan Simpson: Adam Knight; Ben Massey: Tom Chandler; Ben Brill; Matt Iles: Lucian Morosan; Euan Caborn: Matt Moore; Craig Webb; Ross Cooke; Shaun Woolford: Jason Smith

Replacements: Will Fox; Dan Fisher; Filip Perica (All used)