For the Crowborough supporters who turned out on this miserable afternoon, the day would only get worse, as a struggling ‘Boro XV, languishing in 7th place hosted a confident 3rd placed Dover, intent on cementing their position in the top half of the table.
This was to be the clichéd game of two halves, with all the points scored in the first half, with Crowborough playing catch up, whilst Dover gave a fine defensive lesson in the second. Ultimately Crowborough were architects of their own demise.
The Crowborough coaches had selected a strong side, aimed at turning around the team’s fortunes, ahead of several strong December fixtures leading up to Christmas.
From the kick off Crowborough immediately took the game to the visitors, playing a fast open game with passes redolent of the Harlem Globetrotters on steroids playing “seven-a-side”. Keeping the ball alive and moving, whilst changing the point of attack was exciting to watch, but the Dover defence was more than capable, and kept the ‘Boro attack at bay.
Amazingly, with so much happening , only seven minutes had elapsed, when ‘Boro had a lineout, 10 metres out from the Dover line. Chapman rose to take the ball and the maul was set. As it crabbed right, the nudge drove it forward and ultimately the Crowborough pack had the measure of the visitors and drove over to score , with Sam Edwards emerging from the melee to claim the score, which Jared Herman converted 7-0
During these opening salvos Dover had hardly been able to gain possession, but from the restart, they broke into the home sides piece of real estate, but the ‘Boro defence was up to the challenge, and generally matched Dover’s earlier examples, although the official spied an offside offence and Dover were on the scoreboard.7-3
Possession was keenly contested, and when ‘Boro had the initiative, they too readily kicked away the hard won ball, gifting attacking ball to the grateful Dover attack. When ‘Boro did move the ball, it was often forced and inaccurate, with the inevitable mishandling making a lottery of the loose ball.
From a long ‘Boro clearance Dover took the ball cleanly, and spying a gap on the left put in a speculative chip over the advancing line. What could have been a gifted attacking ball was fumbled, and a toe poke from a fast following up Dover centre, created the foot race to the line, won by the centre as the ball took a cruel hop to the right away from the defender. The kick was successful 7-10
However as the match flowed, the official deemed one challenge too robust, and dispatched Sean Bate to the bin, with half time approaching.
With Crowborough still very much in the game, and Dover not showing their expected dominance, a half time turn round, just 3 points down and with the wind behind, it would not be too unreasonable to believe that the game was still there for the home side to take the win.
Rugby can be a cruel game, and with Dover initiating a rare attack, a blatant but unseen forward pass breeched the ‘Boro line, and with the overlap cruised over the line in the corner, for a converted try. 7-17
From a 3 point game, and with less than five minutes of the half remaining, the lead was stretched to a not unassailable 10 points, which, in a déjà vu moment was then stretched to 15 points, when Crowborough put in a final attack of the half. But, put under defensive pressure they mishandled the ball, and yet another foot race was lost as the deficit stretched to 7-22. HT
The second half was one of frustration as ‘Boro chased the score, and Dover scrambled to thwart the home sides efforts, losing two players to the sin bin in the process.
As the gloom increased, on and off the pitch, and the rain made handling difficult, the brightly lit scoreboard remained stubbornly stuck on the pre-half time score, as the game came to an end.
This was an obvious disappointment for the home side that showed flashes of what could be, and what is to come, once the collective confidence has been restored. Beware of the wounded tiger!
On a more positive note Crowborough 2nd XV came away 34-19 winners against Hellingly 1st XV.