This was the Last League Game of the Season !!

Match Report By Mr Rick Howe.
The Referee was Oliver from Sussex

The season eventually reached round 22 last weekend, with interesting results at both the top and bottom of London SE Counties Kent 1 league, where Beccahamians put 63 points on league leaders Canterbury 2nds? but were unable to overcome a strong Dartfordians sides finish to the season, who are now destined for promotion. At the other end, as if to prove the strength of this league, 11th placed Cranbrook hosted fifth placed Crowborough, knowing that only a decisive win over the Sussex side, who succumbed to a 41 -19 defeat on the opening day of the season, would save their season and avoid relegation.
Crowborough arrived with a much changed line up ,following serious attrition to their squad in recent weeks, that saw more walking wounded squad members on the touchline than on the park. Further disruption arrived earlier in the morning when two more players had to withdraw, causing both re-alignment and positional changes, with debuts for several promising academy players.
Cranbrook started as everyone expected charging into the visitors ranks and camping in their half of the pitch. Crowborough showed where their strength lay, winning three of the first four Cranbrook lineouts as well as their own, and matching the big home pack in the tight encounters.
Crowborough’s first foray was through a well taken Lee Cagna break through the centre channel ,making fifty metres before running out of support and being brought to ground, where the move fizzled out, but showed enterprise for this rejigged side.
Crowborough regrouped and found themselves in the Cranbrook 22, where the home side transgressed. However, as in more recent games ‘Boro elected to eschew the simple 3 points and take a quick tap penalty, which failed to get the wished for five or even seven points as the ball was turned over. Following two consecutive Cranbrook penalties to clear their line Cranbrook were back within 5 metres of the ‘Boro line with the score after 15 minutes still 0-0.!
From the lineout Cranbrook again lost the ball, but the ‘Boro clearance failed to find touch simply providing attacking ball to the Cranbrook back three who targeted the right side of the field, only for the supporting #7 to jump into Will Pitmans tackle. The relieving penalty kick again failed to find touch as he tried to eke out extra metres, and was returned with interest deep into the ‘Boro half, where Crowborough did find touch for a Cranbrook lineout. From the line out ‘Crowborough transgressed and up stepped the big centre who had no second thoughts about what to do with it but took the points on offer for the first score of the game after 25 minutes.3-0
Lee Cagna was shown yellow for an alleged high tackle, and when another ‘Boro penalty failed to find touch Cranbrook turned defence into attack and pin-pointed the gap recently vacated by Lee Cagna, to stroll through for a converted try 10-0.
A Crowborough third tap penalty on the 10 metre line was the next option taken, rather than benefitting from their demonstrated lineout superiority, but again was met with the same previous result, as Cranbrook turned the unprotected ball over. From the turnover the ‘Brook centre spiralled a long kick down to within 25 metres of the ‘Boro line. From the lineout the ball was spun out wide before being turned inside to support arriving on the angle. It was essential that the score was avoided ,and ‘Boro were not to be found wanting as the line defence held firm on four separate occasions before turning the ball over and bringing the half to an end at 10-0, although the talk on the touch line was of the points ignored that could have narrowed the gap.
As the second half got under way Crowborough continued with their solid display of defence, frustrating the home side to such an extent that they became sloppy in their execution of moves unable to complete passes or off-loads, butchering several opportunities to score, that they resorted once more to the tried and tested boot to take the score to 13-0 with ‘Boro on the back foot.
This game was at best scrappy, with an inordinate number of penalties, dealt with by the sides in two totally different ways, with Cranbrook determined to keep the score board ticking over whilst ‘Boro chased the big score without achieving it, or maintaining control over the ball. With the Cranbrook #15 seeing yellow a ‘Boro penalty was reversed two metres inside the ‘Boro half , and the resulting attempt at goal slid to the right of the posts, which Will Pitman fielded, and in his traditional way streaked up the field but was brought down short of halfway.
The frustration shown on the field was doubled down on, when Josh Jarvis, covered across and put in what appeared to be a quite superb cover tackle on the Cranbrook right wing . The official, who had missed several simple infringements earlier, blew up for a high tackle and brandished the yellow card, much the bemusement of the large crowd, but no one re so than to the player on the alleged receiving end of the tackle who looked aghast .
This decision seemed to change the dynamic of the game, and what had been a game played hard, but in the best of spirits, started to degenerate, and as Cranbrook camped once more on the ‘Boro 5 metre line, the defence was again exceptional forcing the pick and drives to move the ball out wide, which was latched onto by the replacement prop arriving at speed to crash over for the converted try with 10 minutes to go. 20-0
The final move of the game was the accrual of events that developed into a comedy of errors, when from a ‘Boro lineout on the halfway, the ball was thrown over the top to an astonished Richard Tasker minding his own business at the back of the line. Seeing it at the last moment he grasped at it and in doing so knocked it backwards, but not far enough to reach his scrum half. The ‘Brook flanker burst through and got a toe poke on it and the foot race ensued as the ball bounced past the final defender, and then the flanker could not believe his luck as the ball stood up for him to gather and cross the line for a final converted try. 27-0
There was no doubt that Cranbrook were the better side on the day and deserved the win and their possible Kent 1 survival. However, Crowborough will be disappointed that following the withdrawals earlier in the week, they were architects of their own downfall, and with hindsight perhaps altering some of the on field decisions may have brought some veneer of respectability to the scoreline. However on a positive note the performances of those debutants must bode well for future seasons.
Over at Horsham, Holbrook RFC entertained Crowborough 2nd XV featuring 9 of this years’ Colts, and after going behind by 20 odd points, eventually rallied to go home 24-27 winners.