On an overcast miserable afternoon, with drizzle in the air and mist swirling across the pitch, a scene that would have done justice to the opening of a Dickensian novel, Crowborough welcomed second placed Sevenoaks 2nds to a strangely subdued Steel Cross last Saturday. That would change!
Sevenoaks have lost only two games this season to Canterbury and Sussex neighbours Heathfield, and in the corresponding fixture in October, inflicted Crowborough’s biggest defeat 54-7.
However, ‘Boro had put that episode firmly behind them and there were ”Great Expectations”, that that October result could be rectified, as the teams trotted out into the gloom and onto the unforgiving and cloying Wealden clay.
Crowborough’s kick off demonstrated how difficult the conditions would be, when the ball simply skidded across the surface, unable to bounce. The return kick was fielded on the ‘Boro 22 by Oscar Thatcher whose prodigious 50:22 return set up a ‘Boro line out. Dave Bennett rose above all others to feed Sam Marchesi who set the back division in motion, ending with Will Pitman on the left wing caught just short of the Oaks line where Oaks knocked on.
From the scrum ‘Boro piled on the drive forcing the Oaks back row to stay bound in. Sam Skinner ran the decoy route as the ball came out to Sam Marchesi. The space was created, and when Sam Marchesi dummied the score was a formality. 5-0. The kick, in these heavy conditions not too surprisingly was pulled, but Crowborough had posted their intentions.5-0
This score galvanised the home side, that saw forwards and backs in concert. The front five bossed their opposition, whilst the back row harried the Oaks half backs putting in several bone jarring tackles, and turning over possession and setting up attacks. One of which saw a Josh Jarvis break, release Will Pitman and Harry Marchesi, who cruised deep into the Oaks half before a maul was set up 15 metres out from the Oaks line. Here Josh Rhodes and Adam King committed the opposition and as the ‘Boro pack drove towards the line it was Will Creasey who added that extra impetus to cross the line for a second score that had the bemused visitors reeling. 10-0 The kick was missed.10-0
The scoreboard showed 19 minutes of the match had been played when Jarvis made a 20 metre break, before feeding the ever present Dave Bennett. Herman in support drove to within 15 metres of the Oaks line, where Oaks transgressed in saving what appeared to be an almost certain score. Ignoring a simple three points, and having already demonstrated that they had the measure of the larger Oaks pack, ‘Boro called for the scrum.
Expecting the push over, all eight of the visitors pack stayed bound in, enabling Sam Marchesi to exploit the absence of any narrow cover to round his opposite number and score under the posts for a Oscar Thatcher converted try 17-0
With half an hour played Josh Rhodes, was shown yellow for a high non-malicious tackle, and with ‘Boro down to 14 men, they could have been forgiven for tightening up the game until half time. But they were on a roll, and even when Oaks made an interception on their own 22, and galloped through to the home 22, the ‘Boro cover through Harry Marchesi was enough to allow the rest to get back and regroup, and in their anxiousness to score Oaks transgressed and compounded the error by mouthing off to the official and losing a further 10 metres, and the danger was over.
Moments later from a scrum on their own 10 metre line Sam Marchesi fed Will Pitman on the blind side, who, confronted by his opposite number put in a long sliding punt up the touchline. He fielded his own kick but was scragged to the ground metres short, but support was on hand and Harry Marchesi was the recipient of the final pass to record the bonus point try which Thatcher converted 24-0 as the half time whistle sounded.
The second half was a more tightly contested affair with both sides having opportunities early on, but where the defences were tested and not found to be wanting.
However Crowborough continued with their scoring ways, making and exploiting spaces whilst ensuring their line remained intact.
Will Creasey was next on the score sheet when the ‘Boro pack mauled to within inches of the Oaks line only for Creasey at the back of the maul to be held up, but as the maul crabbed across the pitch Creasey found the gap and crashed through for another converted try 31-0
It was left to Andrew Kidd to finalise Oaks’s miserable afternoon, and by finishing off another collective forwards try that went unconverted, avenged that sore October defeat .36-0 Full Time
Next week Crowborough travel to 8th placed Park House.