Crowborough welcomed Cranbrook to Steel Cross for the final game of the season. In the end it would be a simple matter of which side wanted the win the most.
Crowborough, comfortably cemented in 7th position, where no result would make any positional difference, were forced to make several alterations to the line up that narrowly lost to Heathfield the previous week, due to injury and end of season unavailability.
By contrast Cranbrook, had to win ,and then rely upon Park House to beat their local Beccehamian rivals, to avoid relegation. Cranbrook had a relatively lack lustre first half of the season, and appeared to have recruited “heavily” during the winter break.
As the Cranbrook side ran onto the pitch , the front five, appeared to have been hewn from huge lumps of granite, dwarfing the diminutive ‘Boro pack. The visitors tactics would soon become evident.
From the kick off , Cranbrook played the game tight, retaining possession, and taking route one, with the big boys driving straight into the ‘Boro defence. Without possession this was going to be a long old afternoon for the home side.
To emphasise that, the ‘Brook pack crossed over twice in the first ten minutes to record a 0-12 lead, starting what was beginning to look like an ominous afternoon for the ‘Boro boys.
Jared Hermann pulled back three after an indiscretion, but Cranbrook retained the initiative, with Crowborough desperately needing to regroup and break the visitors stranglehold over their set piece possession.
But desire and hope, was eclipsed when a ‘Brook penalty was placed into touch on the ‘Boro 5 metre line. From the lineout, Cranbrook set up the maul and the drive. ‘Boro were prepared for the drive as the defence piled in, only for the #1 to take the ball at the back of the maul to blast over for the score which was well converted.3-19.
Crowborough were still to win and control any meaningful ball, from which they could stretch and tire the gargantuan ‘Brook pack. With half time approaching and the scoreline looking as though it was getting away from the home side, quick possession was whipped wide by Ed Croft to Jared Hermann who put width on the pass.
With such little quality ball in the first half, this opportunity to move the ball wide was laboured and pedestrian, and by rights should have been snuffed out as the touchline approached.
With Will Pitman and Gus Weir getting squeezed in the tramlines, Pitman dummied to Weir ,and slid through the narrowest of gaps to cross over to give the home side hope as half time approached. The kick was pulled 8-19 HT
The big Cranbrook pack had still to be tested for stamina, and as the second half commenced, so ‘Boro applied the expansive tactics that would expose the big boys fitness. It was Gus Weir who was first on the second half score sheet when he finished off a neat complete team try , out wide on the left for an unconverted score. 13-19
In recent matches ,Crowborough have gone behind, before then playing tiring and anxious, catch-up rugby. Having got within six points , a lapse in defence saw ‘Brook put a penalty into touch on the ‘Boro 5 metre line.
Knowing what was coming next, ‘Boro set up the block to the drive, and with additional support leaving gaps around the edge, the #9 needed no second invitation and skipped over in the corner for a well converted try. 13-26
Desperate to get back onto the scoring trail, ‘Boro attacked down the right through Sean Bate and Josh Jarvis, but the touchline came to the defence of the visitors as Jarvis was bundled into touch. From the restart, a dropped ball was recovered by ‘Boro and moved left to Mason Rosier in the centre, who with Weir outside providing the supporting overlap, cut inside to score the final points of the match with ‘Boro falling short of the losing bonus point at 18-26, and with Cranbrook waiting anxiously for the result at Park House that would determine in which division they would be playing next season.
It would be a tense hour before the news would arrive that Park House had secured a narrow win over Beccehamians, sadly condemning Cranbrook to Kent League Div 2 rugby next season.