The narrowest of defeats against upwardly mobile, Cobham, by 19 – 20, elicited both pleasure and angst in equal measure, on a rain affected afternoon.

This was a game Maidstone should have won and the last gasp catch and drive brought them awfully close to scoring at the death. But Cobham withstood all that Maidstone could throw at them through the forwards and had sufficient intensity in their defence to force the error once the ball was moved to the outsides.

The pitch was heavy after all the recent rain and as the persistent drizzle turned into a steady downpour, so the game was dictated by the ability to hold on to the ball. Mistakes became increasingly common and Maidstone’s forwards were instrumental in many attacks through direct running and following up kicks. But in the end, the Cobham three-quarters, aided by their back row, were just too much of a handful for the Maidstone defence.

Ben Knight, Matt Iles and Shaun Woolford all picked up injuries last week but with Gary Beck, Ben Massey, Craig Webb and Matt Moore all available again, the starting selection had a solid look about it. In addition, two recruits were added to the squad, with Ed Oram starting in the inside centre role and Steve Goode covering the front row, all adding to the feeling of expectancy that Maidstone would be competitive. And so it proved.

For much of the first quarter, Maidstone played their rugby in their own half as Cobham looked to dictate through an all-round pressing game. But the home side’s defence was strong from the start and it took a series of penalties before the visitors could make a breakthrough.

On the quarter hour, a penalty to touch was the springboard for Cobham to release their threequarters and a half break in the centre gave them the opening to eventually release left wing, Fletcher, to score in the corner.

But within five minutes, Maidstone hit back. A loose kick out of defence was fielded by full back, Sam Pearson, and his link up with Rory Beech eventually put man-of-the-match, Lewis Stimpson, in a position to break the defence and cross the line from 20 metres out. Beech’s conversion put Maidstone in front.

A second converted try, five minutes later, extended the Maidstone lead to 14-5. This time it was the arch poacher, Matt Moore, that got the score, intercepting on half way and outpacing the defence.

With half time approaching and Maidstone’s pack looking to dominate, expectations of reaching the break, while maintaining the lead, were in everyone’s minds. But the quality of the Cobham back line shone through from limited opportunities and, from a line out on half way, they released their left wing, Fletcher, once more, to score in the corner, reducing their deficit to 14-10.

Cobham started the second half with determination and pace to their game. Equally, Maidstone defended strongly but a penalty allowed the visitors to set up a line out, deep in the Maidstone 22, with ten minutes on the clock.

This time, the Cobham catch and drive worked to perfection and second row, Rodman got the touch down in the corner. Once again, the conversion failed but the try nudged the visitors in front and put the emphasis back on Maidstone to up their effort.

Whereas in the first half Maidstone’s running had been direct, they now began to cut the angles and to seek to stretch the Cobham defence. Oram in the centre made a clean break but in the wet conditions, the off load was spilled. As a consequence, both sides sought to gain field position through the boot.

Cobham looked to kick to the bottom corner to set up line out moves on a number of occasions but each time, Maidstone’s defence held. Just on the half hour, after just such a move, Maidstone turned the ball over and Lewis Stimpson made a break, carrying the ball to the half way line. With the ball recycled by the chasing Maidstone pack, the ball was moved swiftly to the left, with Oram setting up Sam Pearson to score in the corner for a 19-15 scoreline.

With Cobham realising the importance of field position, they kicked to the bottom corner whenever they could. And a penalty, just in the Maidstone half, gave them the opportunity to set up another line out and catch and drive opportunity on the thirty-five-minute mark.

With the first move thwarted by solid Maidstone defence, a second penalty proved more beneficial when replacement, Brown, touched down in the corner to restore the visitors one-point lead.

A yellow card to Cobham hooker, Murphy, for a tip tackle after the restart, could have proved decisive. But the subsequent penalty, giving Maidstone a line out deep in the visitors’ 22, only sought to raise expectations which, unfortunately, couldn’t be delivered.

Try as they might, the Maidstone forwards just couldn’t make the decisive break near the line and the decision to move the ball wide, in worsening conditions, only resulted in a spilled pass and the chance was gone.

A losing bonus point was poor consolation for all the effort expended and, once again, everyone was left with that feeling of so near and yet so far.

Maidstone

Kieran Gibbons; Gary Beck; Max Guero: Adam Knight; Ben Massey: Jack Bramwell; Lewis Stimpson; Seth Waterworth: Lucian Morosan; Rory Beech: Vaki Antoniou; Ed Oram; Craig Webb; Matt Moore: Sam Pearson

Replacements: Steve Goode; Will Lane; George Perry (All used)