Crowborough welcomed Dartfordians to a sunny and vocal Steel Cross yesterday, for their first encounter in several seasons, with previous meetings often going in favour of the Kent side.
It is too early in the season to say with any degree of certainty where the dangers in this league are, except that judging from the three results to date the season will be long, hard and competitive. Dartfordians have started well posting their ambition to return to the “Regional “ set up with wins over Dover and Charlton Park to put them in first place at the start of yesterday’s match up , with Boro claiming fourth after their victory against Cranbrook and draw to local rivals Heathfield & Waldron.
From the first to last whistle, this match was played at an electric pace by both sides, with expansive attacks and robust defending. The visitors started the more lively of the two, and could have scored, when a long return kick by Jonte Fraser was judged to have been taken back in to his own 22. From the lineout an attack was set up by the Dartford pack, but as the line approached the ball was inexplicably dropped, and ‘Boro breathed again.
However the relief was short lived as from the restart, Dartfordians broke left down the 15 metre channel, evaded two cover tackles before Stanley Tume touched down in the corner for an unconverted try, with 23 minutes of the game gone.
This seemed to galvanise the home side, who were soon on the scoreboard with a well taken Tom Boddy try, which came from a penalty for handling on the ground. Ignoring the simple 3 points the ball was put into touch for a ‘Boro lineout, taken by Dave Bennett. With the drive on, the defenders were obliged to stay bound in. With Sam Marchesi controlling the flow at the back, he released Jonte Fraser who held the ball up a fraction before popping the ball to the fast arriving Tom Boddy who glided through the gap to score under the posts for a Jonte Fraser converted try. 7-5.
Dartfordians , determined not to let daylight develop in the scoreline, were back ahead following a series of knock on errors by both sides. From a Dartford lineout, the ‘Boro defence was sucked in creating a gap in the middle of the field which Elliot Soler-Gomez breezed through to score a Hetherington converted try, and once more take the lead.7-12
This see-sawing was to continue with neither side prepared to give an inch. From the restart, Dartfordians knocked on , on their 22. Playing advantage down the right Tom Boddy broke through three attempted tackles, before being halted. From the ruck, Sam Marchesi popped the ball to Will Creasy on the charge, who was poleaxed by the #19 human bowling ball with a no-arms tackle that would not have been out of place in the NFL.
When the game restarted, after Will Creasy had received several minutes of treatment, no sanction was applied, with just a scrum awarded to ‘Boro 5 metres out.
Justice ,however was served when Alex Purnell picked up at the base to crash over for a Jonte Fraser converted try. 14-12
Crowborough needed the next score to underline their efforts and to put daylight between the sides. From a lineout Dave Bennett rose to secure the ball to feed Andy Kidd on the burst. With the maul forming Sean Streeter came off his wing targeting the central gap, and by doing so created confusion in the Dartfordian defence, allowing Jonte Faser to dummy his opposite number and stride over for a well-deserved try which he also converted, to take the half time score to 21-12 at Half TIme.
This should have been the time to take advantage of the momentum, but it was Dartfordians who came out for the 2nd half the more determined. Crowborough did have their opportunities with two scoring chances dropped with the line begging, but it was to be some excellent defence from the whole of the ‘Boro side that kept Dartfordians at bay for much of the second half, frustrating the Dartfordian pack who peppered the ‘Boro line ,but to no avail.
It was to be the excellent Dartfordian scrum half who came closest to a break through score, when from a lineout he scampered through a hole and was chased for 50 metres before a slip, and then a tackle by Harry Marchesi brought his try making run to an end, but not before ‘Boro were pinged for coming in at the side of the ruck.
With time running down, Dartfordians, in an act of game management madness, ignored a simple 3 points and went for touch. The lineout was stolen by ‘Boro and put into touch once more. The second lineout received the same treatment but this time the relieving kick went high up field.
It was left to the impressive #9 to make a final impression on this game, when he made a , break down the left and supported by four of his backs, inter-passed to score the best try of the game, that was well converted. 21-19 FT
Fortunately for the home side, time had almost run out, and, but for the fortuitous match management error on behalf of the visitors, the outcome could have been different, which in fairness would not have been representative of the way the ‘Boro team had performed. This result means Crowborough in 3rd place, leap frog Dartfordians now in 4th.
This week Crowborough travel to 6th placed Deal and Bettshanger fresh from their victory over Charlton Park . KO 3:00