Crowborough travelled several times zones to the East last Saturday, for their final London & SE Kent 1 League game of the season, against League leaders and newly promoted Canterbury, with the visitors needing just one point to secure fourth place in this hard fought Division. In their previous encounter at Steel Cross, in the season’s opener, Crowborough secured a losing bonus point, and Head Coach Jody Levett predicted that whatever happened today , it would be a high scoring affair, and what a prediction that turned out to be, in a classic game of two halves!
With nothing between east Kent and the Steppes of Russia, the biting gale force wind would eventually have a major say in the outcome of this match. In the first half Crowborough played up the slope with the wind behind, and immediately put the home side under pressure with some excellent passing and support play that took the game deep into the Canterbury half.
When Crowborough were awarded the first of what was to be a litany of penalties they stunned the home side by electing to go for touch rather than the three points, and when once more the visitors were awarded another penalty, they again placed the ball into touch 20 metres from the home line. As Bennett sored, so the drive came on, drawing in the defence. Sam Marchesi picked up at the back broke right and fed Sam Skinner on the burst to score out on the right. Jared Herman’s kick grazed the right upright. 0-5
Crowborough, using the wind were soon once more camped in the Canterbury 22, and from a scrum out on the right came a déjà vu moment as once more Marchesi picked up an broke right with Skinner in support, but with a deft show and go Marchesi slid through the gap in the defence to record the second try, with the kick once more sliding just wide. 0-10
By now Canterbury had conceded several penalties, with the count rising to somewhere in the region of 7-2 in favour of the home side, and with the official becoming somewhat frustrated by the unnecessary stoppages, he bizarrely singled out Crowborough captain Dave Bennett for a team yellow card much to the incredulity of many of those watching.
Down to 14 men, this was Canterbury’s chance to influence the scoreboard, and as they attacked, the excellent #15 broke left, entering the line creating the extra man and confusion, in what had been up until then, been an outstanding defensive line. With the extra man, the off-load to the equally elusive #13, saw the space develop and with a step off his left, breezed through the gap to get the home sides scoring under way. The kick was successful.7-10
Crowborough were not fazed by this set back and once more used the wind to attack deep into the home sides’ 22. From a ‘Boro kick the Canterbury centre fumbled the ball ,and as everyone stopped and watched, Josh Rhodes scooped up the errant ball, and cantered over the line unopposed to score the third try that was converted, as the half time whistle went. 7-17 HT
Ten minutes into the second half, and with Adam King replacing Dave Bennett, an excellent move, started by Sam Marchesi brought the whole ‘Boro back division into play, with the centres straightening up the line and setting the Canterbury defence. As the move looked to be fizzling out Sam Skinner swooped off his right wing to take the off-load from Josh Jarvis to score the vital fourth and bonus point try that secured the visitors final league position in fourth place. The kick was pulled. 7-22.
Perhaps it was a feeling of “job done”, but this was to be ‘Boro’s last scoring contribution, as the home side started to exploit the familiar conditions. Using the wind Canterbury pinned the visitors deep into their own half, often kicking over the defensive line, who failed to appreciate the winds strength and were often found to be having to turn and retreat to collect the ball and relieve the pressure by putting the ball in touch.
With Sam Marchesi leaving the field with a suspected ham string injury, and Adam King having been shown yellow, joining him on the touchline, the failure then to compete at the lineout gave the home side the advantage of attacking ball. This they used to good effect as they proceeded to run in a further four converted tries and a penalty to take the final score to 38-22.
Canterbury now move upwards into Level 6, Regional 2 Central, whilst Crowborough reconvene next week for the first round of the Papa John Cup away to a strong resurgent Eastbourne who are flying high in Surrey/Sussex 1.