Match Report by Rick Howe.
Photo's by Drew Pratt
Our Referee was Kent's Mr Simon Musslewhite

This was a game between the two winless sides of the League propping up the division, but for one the disappointment would continue as they sought their first win.
Rugby can be both a bizarre and cruel game, and this match-up contained both-----in spades! Throw in a liberal interpretation of the laws, and the recipe for a lively and entertaining “tryfest” would result.
Crowborough’s selection this season has been troubled by injuries, and this week, fourteen potential starters were on, what must be, a very crowded treatment table or unavailable, making any consistency of play difficult for the coaches to manage.
As in previous matches Crowborough started strongly with Will Creasey and Callum Main attacking and defending in equal measure. Aylesford defended these initial forays, and in turn tested the mettle of the visitors.
To all who play the game, the oval ball is unpredictable at best, if allowed to bounce. On the hard Aylesford ground this would prove doubly difficult. With seven minutes played, Aylesford engineered what appeared to be an overlap on the left, until Kieran Martin stuck out a hand to intercept the final pass. With seventy metres to go and support still playing catch up, he placed a kick deep into the opposition 22. As the wing collected the ball, rather than clearing into touch, he evaded the oncoming rush, and put in a high and long speculative kick up field.
As canny prop, Mark Rosier “hung back” in support of his back three. The ball fell short and took a massive bounce up and over the bemused giant of the pack, and with the Aylesford winger following up, more in hope than conviction, he suddenly found himself within a toe poke of a score, picking up to dot the ball down for a converted score. 7-0
Crowborough came straight back, with the back division starting to put together some exciting and purposeful moves, one of which saw Connor Hand and Will Creasey inter-pass before being held up short and pinged for holding on. A relieving penalty, into the ‘Boro half and quick ball saw, a flat footed Crowborough defence looking on as the right wing scored unopposed on the right for an unconverted try. 12-0
Crowborough were in danger of letting this game slip away, and when the right wing latched onto a loose ball and dribbled towards the line, it kindly bounced into his hands enabling him to slip two half-hearted tackles and score to the right of the posts for the excellent #15 to convert. 19-0
To their credit, ‘Boro’s collective heads did not drop, and from the kick off Will Creasey and Tom Kent drove the ball into the home side’s 22, winning a penalty. The momentum was halted with the need of the Aylesford physio. Crowborough ignored the easy three points and elected to take a scrum. Although the ‘Boro scrum looked diminutive when compared to the large Aylesford pack they make up for lack of stature with technique, and as the shove came on Tom Kent picked up at the base, fixing the defender before passing to Kieron Martin. With the official indicating a penalty Kieron Martin sought out James Hart on the right wing with a cross field kick, and with Tom Boddy in support inter-passed before James Hart crossed for the score in the right corner. Kieron Martin superbly converted from the touchline. 19-7 keeping it to a 12 point game. The next score would probably be match defining.
Unfortunately that try was to go to Aylesford as they engineered a penalty chasing up a well placed kick into the ‘Boro 22, which was fielded, but with defenders still to arrive, the official rightly penalised for holding on. From the scrum the drive came on and the try and conversion became a formality.26-7
Amazingly there was still 2 minutes of the half remaining. ‘Boro worked the ball to within 10 metres of the Aylesford line. From a scrum Tom Kent picked up and drove though the defence to score a first half ending try converted by Kieron Martin, 26-14 and still a 12 point game.
Within minutes of the re-start the large and vociferous crowd were stunned into silence as they witnessed a quite superb try by the visitors. Under pressure on their own line, ‘Boro won the scrum. Sam Skinner fed Kieron Martin who ignored the opportunity to clear his line, firstly dummying to his right before slinging a pass to Zeb Kisbee on his left.
With Support from Tom Boddy and Connor Hand on the outside they broke out to their own 10 metre line. As support continued to arrive on both sides of the ball carriers, they moved the ball into the home sides 22, with defenders struggling to lay a hand on either the attackers or the ball. As the line approached Connor Hand once more breezed into take the final pass to score an end to end try. The kick was missed. 26-19 and incredibly a 7 point game.
This topsy turvy game continued, as Aylesford, determined to extend their lead once more, attacked from the kick off, and when the #10 placed a deft chip through the centre of the ‘Boro line, it looked as though it was well covered,----- until it took that inevitable bounce away from defence into the path of the attack. 33-19
To their credit ‘Boro kept their nerve, in the belief that they could still have a say in the outcome of this game and salvage a point or two. Once more Crowborough worked their way into the home sides 22, and from a scrum that forced the defence to stay bound, Tom Kent picked up to blast through for the try that Kieron Martin converted.33-26 and back to a seven point game.
With 10 minutes remaining and with the visitor’s confidence growing, faced by a visibly anxious home side, Crowborough won a line out in the Aylesford 22, and drove a tiring home pack backwards over their own line with Mark Rosier claiming the score, again converted by Kieron Martin to take the score to 33-33!
Less than five minutes to play. Agonisingly Aylesford were awarded a penalty under the ‘Boro posts. 36-33.
Now there were just moments left. Crowborough were awarded a penalty but on the Aylesford 10 metre line and too speculative for the kick. Kieron Martin took control and placed the ball on the Aylesford 5 metre line.
The lineout would be the last play, and the crowd were now silent. Crowborough won the ball as Will Creasey rose high. Kieron Martin received the ball ,pumped a dummy pass before popping the ball to Tom Boddy who arrived at pace and with a two man overlap had the courage and belief to go for broke, and crossed the line for the score that Kieron Martin coveted taking the final score to 36-40.
Crowborough could be forgiven for wildly celebrating this first win as though they had won the league, but after some bitter defeats in recent weeks it probably felt like it. Aylesford will feel aggrieved at their loss which they had in the bag by half time, but they remain a place ahead of bottom placed Crowborough who had to work off their minus 5 point penalty awarded against them last time out, ( or not) and remain on zero points, before their meeting next week against league leaders Old Alleynians at Steel Cross.