Sevenoaks visited Priestfields on Saturday in a must win game for both sides as they were equal on points and sat third and fourth in the league table at the beginning of the day.
The weather was damp but the playing surface was in reasonably good condition allowing an open running game between two well matched sides.
Sevenoaks started the game the better of the teams and enjoyed territorial advantage and plenty of possession. They were rewarded after 7 minutes with a straightforward penalty to give them a 3 – 0 lead. This seemed to spur the locals into action and just four minutes later, and during their first real attack, flanker Dan Huntley burst through the Sevenoaks midfield defence to register Medway’s opening try, converted by Dan Harvey, 7 – 3.
Given Medway’s recent impressive form, and the ease with which they seemed to open up Sevenoaks, the crowd half expected them to kick on and put the visitors under the hammer. Unfortunately, the reverse was true!
For the next twenty minutes Sevenoaks dominated proceedings and at times had Medway on the ropes. On 21 minutes they took a quick tap penalty and their impressive centre Juan Delval outpaced the Medway defence to score a try in the corner. With an excellent touch line conversion kick going over Sevenoaks had the lead again, 10 – 7.
Sevenoaks maintained this pressure and Medway were unable to get out of their own half. Their dominance resulted in two further penalty kicks and eventually a yellow card for one of the Medway centres for repeated team infringements. As it turned out, this was a turning point in the game for the local lads.
Needing to up their game whilst being a player short, had a galvanising effect on the Medway team and they put Sevenoaks under tremendous pressure for the final 10 minutes of the first half. Although they failed to convert this into points, the pressure did result in two Sevenoaks players being sent to the sin bin in quick succession just before the interval. Half time 16 – 7 to Sevenoaks.
Restored to a full 15 players, and facing only 13 opposition for the opening few minutes of the second period, it was critical for Medway to register some points to get back into the game. Fortunately, the large home crowd didn’t have to wait long. Captain James Dance made a burrowing break through the heart of the Sevenoaks pack and then popped up to pass to Fred Tila on the charge to crash over under the posts. Simple conversion for Harvey and five minutes later he kicked Medway into the lead via a penalty.
Despite Sevenoaks being restored to a full complement there was no let-up in the Medway pressure. After 11 minutes a good kick chase resulted in Dan Harvey intercepting a loose Sevenoaks pass and racing away to touch down under the posts for a try converted by himself. Six minutes later, Medway registered their fourth converted try scored by James Dance following more excellent work from Harvey and Tila, 31 – 16.
In a blistering 17 minutes Medway had scored 24 unanswered points and effectively sealed the game and secured the bonus point for four tries.
Harvey kicked a further penalty on 25 minutes to extend Medway’s lead and for the final 10 minutes Sevenoaks threw caution to the wind and ran the ball at every opportunity. With five minutes remaining they were rewarded with a consolation try again scored by Delval. Sevenoaks fly half scored another very difficult conversion from the touch line to complete an excellent kicking display where he scored five out of five.
Overall Medway deserved their win but their first half display was full of individual errors that prevented them from building consolidated pressure and scoring points. However once they got it right in the second period, they were very good. The front five of Petch, Humphrey, O’Leary, Easton and Rutherford had another good day at the office, and at times had their opposition under real pressure. Fred Tila had a good game at centre, Dan Harvey’s personal tally was 19 points, but man of the match went to No. 8 Eanna Flanagan who was ever present and worked tirelessly in attack and defence.
Medway have a week off next Saturday and league action resumes on the 6th December with an away game at Old Colfeians.
Medway team;
Petch, Humphrey, O’Leary, Easton, Rutherford, Huntley, Beaumont, Flanagan, Dance, Harvey, Liua’ana, Meares, Tila, Garofalo, Wardzynski, Subs Cooley, Graves, Kay (all used)