Medway entertained Tonbridge Juddians on Saturday in the Quarter Final of the Kent Cup at Priestfields.

TJ’s play their rugby two leagues above Medway, so it was always going to be a stern test for the local lads. Medway put in a brave, battling performance and held the opposition at 3 – 0 for 65 minutes, but once the dam finally burst, TJs ran in four converted tries in the last fifteen minutes, making the score line look a little harsh on the home side.

Medway used the cup game to give debuts to two new players, Darren Jalink and Christian Bennison, prop forward Meto Mataapa played his first full game since arriving from New Zealand, and Owain Fussell was welcomed back at centre.

Tonbridge were good value for their victory and put Medway under the cosh from the very start of the game, catching their own kick off and driving the home side back into their 22. Great defence and big hits were the order of the day as Medway soaked up the continual TJ pressure. Despite their territorial advantage and possession, TJ’s were limited to a solitary penalty in the first half scored after 10 minutes. They went close on several occasions to scoring tries but somehow last ditch defence prevented them grounding the ball.

With the slight slope and wind advantage in the second half, the home crowd hoped that Medway would test the TJ defence. Indeed after a few minutes of the restart Dan Huntley drove through the heart of the TJ’s midfield and was stopped just short of the try line. Medway then had their best period of the game, but the visitors defence was excellent and there was no way through for the locals.

Eventually the sheer physical presence of the bigger and fitter TJ team told, and after 65 minutes they battered the home defence and broke the deadlock. Further tries followed on 70, 76 and right at the death on 80 minutes. The TJ kicker maintained his 100% record for the day kicking all five of his attempts on goal.

Overall a good test for Medway against a National League team. Jimmy Rutherford was outstanding in defence making tackle after tackle, Dan Huntley and Tom Beaumont were their usual industrious selves and Charlie Wardzynski played well in his first game at fly half this season.

Medway team;

Brice, Sandison, Mataapa, Easton, Johnson, Huntley, Beaumont, Rutherford, Dance, Wardzynski, Liua’ana, Fussell, Tila, Garofalo, Bennison, Subs; Petch, Jalink, Burns (all used).