Twice this season these two sides have met in close games with Thanet walking away with the spoils.
This encounter took on a whole new significance for the two sides ranked 10 th and 11th in the League, as the result would define their season’s one way or the other, with the loser, barring a miracle, playing London League Div 3 rugby next season.
Not unsurprisingly this was not going to be a classic match of swift and furious running rugby, as two sets of nervous players, anxious to avoid mistakes, fumbled passes and spilled catches, but to a man put in crunching uncompromising tackles simply refusing to give ground.
Returning Andy Walters, led by example, galvanising Mitch Malherbe on the wing who was constantly looking to take the ball on the burst to break through the solid Thanet line, but for fully fifteen minutes play revolved around the middle of the park, before ‘Boro broke through only for Thanet to come in from the side of the ruck well within range of Chris Yates trusty right boot. 3-0
Although this gave ‘Boro an impetus to continue their forays into Thanet territory, caution stemmed their inventiveness, and although they could have gone over from a forward drive it was left to Thanet to score the only other points of the half from the boot of their fly half.3-3
The second half was to be 45 minutes of nerve jangling tension, which saw three yellow and crucially one red card, as the pressure built.
From the restart ‘Boro moved the ball wide with Tom Boddy and Mitch Malherbe getting on the end of some quick ball. From one such move Guy Greenwood placed a grubber through the advancing Thanet centres which enabled Mitch Malherbe in a 50:50 challenge to get a boot to the ball, but this act saw his studs stick in the mud bringing his afternoon to a halt with strained ligaments. As the ball was fielded the Thanet wing was caught and the ‘Boro back row were quick to recycle the ball to the left, allowing Chris Yates to deliver a deft chip with the outside of his boot over the advancing defence for Gary Stevens to latch onto at the first bounce to score to the left of the posts which Chris Yates converted.10-3
Mitch Malherbe was joined on the bench by firstly Michael Waghorn with a strained neck then by prop Richard Tasker who was shown the first yellow card of the afternoon. With so much riding on the outcome of this match it was a remarkably civil affair although diminutive Ben Searle and the gargantuan Thanet second row were shown yellow by the official before the Thanet #10 was shown a red card. With the number of participants on the field slowly dwindling as the clock hovered on the 40 minute mark, Thanet put in a final drive deep into the ‘Boro 22, and although the first drive inward towards the posts was thwarted the secondary drive to the left caught the ‘Boro defence on the hop and Thanet were within two points with the conversion to come and with three more minutes to play. The kick was pulled wide 10-8.
From the drop out ‘Boro ensured that the ball stayed in the opposition half of the field and once possession was secured put the ball into touch to bring the game to an end.
Crowborough now have two games in hand crucially against fifth placed Beckenham next week when a positive result would be more than welcomed, and a week later against high flying League Champions elect Tunbridge Wells, while Thanet who are now five points adrift and with a poorer points difference, of the Sussex side, have an away tie against sixth placed Horsham next week.

The Referee was Simon Bingham.

Match Report by Rick Howe.