Eighteen year old Jordan Stubbington made a sensational first full appearance for Medway on Saturday scoring four tries as Medway won away at Twickenham in their penultimate game of the season.

Twickenham were fighting for their lives, needing to win to keep afloat any hope of avoiding relegation and nearly salvaged something via a storming come back. Medway had built up a commanding 41 – 13 lead with twenty minutes remaining, but Twickenham scored three unanswered tries in the final quarter to set up a tense finale of the game. Unfortunately for them, time ran out and Medway edged an entertaining game consisting of twelve tries, seven for Medway and five for Twickenham.

Medway’s preparation were disrupted on Saturday morning when influential fly-half Dan Harvey was forced to withdraw. Charlie Wardzynski moved up from full-back to fill the 10 berth and the versatile Ben Dance went from the back row to full back. Jordan Stubbington and Joe Fernyhough came into the back row to fill the vacant slots left by Dance and the unavailable Dan Huntley.

Medway played the first half with the advantage of the breeze and steadily build up a healthy looking 21 – 8 lead at the interval via three converted tries. First up, Max Easton crashed over after a Ben Dance kick deep into Twickenham territory wasn’t cleared. Twickenham responded with a penalty on 21 minutes but Medway immediately hit back when Tom Beaumont set up Jordan Stubbington for his first try under the posts. Twickenham hit back via a penalty and excellent try of their own but Medway’s third try came just before half time when Luke Burns’s great tackle won a scrum five metres from the line. The dominate Medway pack drove their opposition back and set up No 8 Stubbington for his second touch-down. Wardzynski kicked all three conversions.

Medway started the second half like a runaway train scoring three tries in the first ten minutes. Immediately from the Twickenham kick-off, Jimmy Rutherford went on a charging run and the ball was moved down the line to Stubbington, now playing in the backs, to streak down the left wing to complete his hat-trick. Five minutes later, Medway attacked again and were awarded a free kick five metres out. A quick tap and go saw Joe Fernyhough show his power to drive over wide on the left. Four minutes later, Medway scored their best try of the game when a great a great inter-passing move was finished by, who else but Jordan Stubbington; 38 – 8. Twickenham hit back with a try of their own after 13 minutes before Medway scored their seventh from another push over, this time finished by Billy Humphrey. 41 -13 to Medway with 20 minutes remaining.

As Medway tired Twickenham came alive and scored two quick fire tries after 25 and 26 minutes to narrow the lead to 41 – 25. Twickenham’s confidence grew and they moved the ball with skill and speed and stretched the Medway defence to the limit. Good turn over ball and great hands gave Twickenham another try after 34 minutes. This set up a tense final six minutes with the lead narrowed to only 9 points and Twickenham looking as though they could score at will. However, desperate defence saw Medway somehow hold out and secure the game, just.

Overall, given the number of personnel changes and people playing out of position, Medway did very well to come away with the win. The final 20 minutes was uncomfortable but credit must go to Twickenham for their spirit to fight back and shows the quality of rugby they are capable of playing.

Medway’s man of the match was understandably Jordan Stubbington. The front five did well converting two push over tries and Charlie Wardzynski did a great job standing in at fly-half.

Medway’s final game of the season is against Brighton next week at home, kick-off 3 pm.

Medway’s team;

Matappa, Cooley, O’Leary, Easton, Rutherford, Fernyhough, Beaumont, Stubbington, J Dance, Wardzynski, Burns, Ebanks, Liua’ana, Garofalo, B Dance, Sub; Humphrey (used).