Medway returned to winning ways with a convincing performance at Thanet on Saturday scoring eight tries with six conversions and playing some fine free flowing rugby.

This was Medway’s second visit to the Wanderers ground this season as they beat them in the first round of the Kent Cup at the end of August.

There were good individual performances right through the Medway team, but Leo Liu’ana and Dan Harvey stood out as the former scored four tries and Harvey kicked six out of eight difficult conversions. Unusually, all eight of the Medway tries were scored out wide and therefore this, coupled with a swirling wind, meant that not one of Harvey’s kicks was easy.

Medway were slow out of the blocks and Thanet took an early lead. Having conceded two penalties which took the hosts from their own 22, deep into the Medway 22, Thanet then set up a powerful forwards drive to score a well worked try. A fine conversion kick gave Thanet a 7 – 0 lead after only three minutes.

Slowly but surely Medway began to get into the game and started to build pressure through good passages and phases of play. After 15 minutes Billy Humphrey scored Medway’s first try as the Medway pack drove their hosts scrum back over their line. After missing a number of good scoring opportunities, Medway’s pack again drove the creaking home scrum back for Humphrey to register his, and Medway’s second try.

Harvey’s conversion gave the visitors a 12 – 7 lead after 30 minutes. Medway props Alex O’Leary and Richard Petch gave their opposite numbers a torrid afternoon and Petch was also stood out for his excellent close quarter defensive work.

The game and result was settled in the final ten minutes of the first half. Whilst Thanet had a man in the sin bin, Medway scored two quick tries. Firstly powerful runs from Beaumont and Tila gave Liu’ana the first of his four scores, shortly afterwards from a central scrum, Charlie Wardzynski cut loose and set up Liu’ana for his second. With Harvey’s conversion, Medway led 24 – 7 at half time.

Medway scored two further tries in the first ten minutes of the second period via Liu’ana and Sam Garofalo to go 38 – 7 up and then understandably lost focus for a while. Tom Beaumont visited the sin bin which didn’t help, but once he returned the visitors scored a further two tries late in the game via Lia’ana’s forth and James Dance.

Overall a good team performance with both backs and forwards all doing their jobs efficiently and combining well in open play. Medway face Staines next week at home in the Intermediate Cup and then a difficult trip to Ashford in the league the following week.

Medway team;

Petch, Sandison, O’Leary, Easton, Rutherford, Huntley, Beaumont, Humphrey, Dance, Huntley, Meares, Tila, Liu’ana, Garofalo, Wardzynski, Cooley, Graves.

Following useful warm up friendlies at Gravesend and Dover over the past two weeks Medway travelled to Thanet on Saturday for Round 1 of the Kent Cup and their first competitive game of the new season.

Thanet gained promotion last year by winning London South East 3 league and enjoying a successful season, so the locals knew they faced a stiff test against young and confident opposition.

Medway’s squad has a number of changes since last season and some of the new faces were on show on Saturday. Prop Alex O’Leary, utility player Ben Dance, fly half Dan Harvey and centre Rueben Meares all made pleasing contributions to a good overall team performance from forwards and backs alike.

Medway ran out comfortable winners dominating possession and territory for large parts of this game. That said, Thanet were a constant threat on the break showing great speed and precision scoring three tries in response to the six touch downs from Medway.

The score line could have been different had it not been for Thanet’s excellent scrambled defence. On at least four occasions Medway broke free and looked odds on to score, only to be thwarted inches short of the line by great try saving tackles.

Medway’s tries came at regular intervals from Jason kay, James Dance (2), Tom Beaumont, Alex O’Leary and a fine solo effort by Charlie Wardzynski. Dan Harvey’s kicking was excellent as he successfully converted seven out of eight of his shots on goal.

Although Medway’s performance was generally good, there remains lots of work to do over the coming weeks to be ready for the league campaign which commences on the 13^th September with an away game at Tunbridge Wells.

Medway team;

Brice, Sandison, O’Leary, Easton, Johnson, B Dance, Beaumont, Flanagan, J Dance, Harvey, Garofalo Liua’ana, Meares, Kay, Wardzynski.