This was a much altered ‘Boro line up that took to the Steel Cross turf on Saturday, with 13 members of the squad injured or unavailable for selection. This gave the coaching team an interesting dilemma, enabling them to give debut starts to James Challingsworth and Freddie Simmons, returnees Toby Bailey and Josh Radford, and a special welcome back to Connor Hand after his enforced absence during the past 18 months.
In their previous encounter 88 points were shared between the two sides with ‘Boro travelling home with all five points. Games between these two sides are always close, hard fought affairs, involving strong running; heavy hits; much grunting and groaning, combined with a fair smattering of back division finesse.
This was to be a tussle from start to finish, with the game played largely between the two 10 metre lines for much of the time. It was fully twenty minutes before the scoreboard saw any action, when Jonte Fraser slotted a penalty in front of the posts for what was to be the first of what was to turn out to be a litany of off-side offenses.
From the restart Deal camped in the ‘Boro half, and maintained possession for a full 10 minutes, frustrating the ‘Boro pack who just could not get their hands on the ball, but unable to make headway themselves. With ‘Boro giving away a penalty , Deal paid the home side a complement for their dogged defence by attempting a long range penalty from the ‘Boro 10 metre line. The kick dropped under the bar, and was fielded by Toby Bailey.
Nine time out of ten the conventional wisdom would have been to kick to touch, but Toby Bailey saw that the fast arriving chasers were leaving a gap, and backing himself to exploit the space. He set off, side stepping the on-rushers, and then simply out running the cover down the right wing. Brought down on the halfway, Rob Lester was on hand to continue the move as the pack arrived. Sam Marchesi launched the ball out to the left as Boro moved closer to the Deal 22. Deal were becoming anxious and in an effort to disrupt the ‘Boro attack encroached again off-side. Crowborough elected to put the ball into touch, and from the lineout Dave Bennett palmed the ball down to Will Creasey on the peal who looped around the back of the lineout for the first try of the afternoon, which Jonte Fraser converted to take the score to 10-0.
As the clocked ticked down to half time, Crowborough had one more attempt to score, when, from a Deal ruck the ball popped out unattended. Dave Bennett seized his chance and scooped it up before launching on a gallop towards the Deal line. With the cover coming across and his support only just realising what had happened, he put in a speculative kick which agonisingly for the Deal full back held up just short of the line, and with Bennett and Marchesi baring down on him forced the in goal touch back. From the scrum, Callum Main latched onto a pass and drove for the line, but was pinged for a technical infringement and the half came to an end. 10-0 HT
The second half started like the first, with play confined to the centre of the field, and with Deal frustrating the home side with blatant off side attempts to disrupt any semblance of rugby. Unfortunately much of this appeared to take place on the blind side of the official!
Deal then got themselves onto the score board with a try out wide on the left, following several penalties conceded by ‘Boro that saw Callum Main shown yellow. Two more penalties followed, and each time Deal opted for the scrum in an effort to take advantage of the extra man. Eventually numbers told and the Deal pack crossed the line for an unconverted try.10-5
With 10 minutes of the game still to play a five point margin was simply not enough, and Deal could see glimmers of an upset as they once more returned to the ‘Boro 22. However from a scrum, they lost their own ball and the ‘Boro line was cleared.
Now was the time for game management, and once again Dave Bennett found himself on the wing with just the #11 to beat. Having had success with the kick earlier in the match it seemed logical to try the trick once more. This time it was not as long and allowed the full back to scramble the ball into touch 30 metres out from his line.
From the lineout, the backs had one of their rare runs, with Lester feeding Connor Hand who carved a delicious line through the central defence, and then committed the full back, before releasing the fast arriving Sam Marchesi , who crossed over for a Jonte Fraser converted try, bringing the game to an end at 17-5.
Although this was by far and away no classic, it got the ‘Boro boys back to winning ways after the previous weeks’ disappointment at Dartfornians.
This Saturday Crowborough, who remain in fourth place, travel once more to the East Kent Coast for their fixture against sixth placed Dover who will be on a high after their away win at Charlton Park. KO 2:00pm.