The penalty count had reached four in as many minutes, and one could already see that this was not to be a game for those looking for fast moving entertainment.
The home XV settled first, and were quick to follow a high ball into the Gs twenty-two, when the stocky, flanker, Tiaan Visser took charge of the ball to power his way over to open the score.
The high scoring Ben Nowak made sure of the extra points as his well struck kick sailed between the uprights for 7-0.
Gs were getting back into the game as the forwards were beginning to assert their power at the set pieces. This earned Josh Smith a penalty chance to narrow the difference to 7-3.
Pressure at the scrummage and the line outs kept Gravesend in good supply, but yet again the constant sound of the whistle brought a penalty to the home side which Nowak converted for 10-3.
From the restart, although winning the ball, a poor pass between the home half-backs saw Scott Curley pounce on the loose ball, gather, with confidence and chase in for the try.
Smith’s conversion took the scores level, 10-10 at the end of the first quarter.
The home backs looked dangerous when going forward, but were finding it difficult to penetrate the Gs defence until, with a hint of off-side, Ian Birch broke the tackles to cross the line.
Nowak was again successful from the tee.
The next ten minutes saw penalty chances for both sides, with each missing one and Smith successful with one to narrow the gap to 17-13 at the break.
With the whistle sounding regularly for an injury stoppage or a penalty offence (questionable) it was surprising that both XVs had a full complement of players on the park, if the number of transgressions was such.
Gravesend’s strength was in their pack as the forwards drove the home forwards off the ball.
Their fortitude, despite taking several early knocks in the second half, was apparent, ably led by skipper Jamie Forsythe, as they attacked from second and third phases around the breakdown.
Sixty-two minutes on the clock and a well worked move at the front of the line-out, on the five metre line saw Forsyth driven over by the supporting forwards, to edge Gs in front for the first time 17-18.
Sam Hall given the kick from wide on the left saw his effort fly wide of the posts.
A third injury to the Gs skipper, who up to this point was performing and looking like the visitors MoM, coincided with the replacement of Dave Irvine, bringing both Nathan Lines and Phil Thompson on as replacements.
This disruption did not take away from Gs drive for success, but they were yet again on the wrong side of the whistle as Nowak restored the home advantage from the tee, 20-18.
Good supply was being gained by the visitors forwards as the whole pack got involved in securing possession.
Although one couldn’t fault the efforts of the three-quarters, as Jon Clement combined with Gary Gray, at half-back, and the security of Hall and Tom Goss under the high ball, it was Gs forwards that grafted for the ball.
If it wasn’t the backs, in Curley, Bishop and Smith, that were being denied a passageway through the home defence, then it was Gs front five that held firm at the set pieces.
The steady efforts of Anstey, Lines, and McKee in the front row, were as sound as rock, and Clement put pressure on the home No. 8, flipping his legs away at the base of the scum.
A missed penalty from the boot of Gravesend’s Hall was doubled by that of Nowak as the game moved deep into added time.
With the home side being forced to defend at was looking likely to be the last phase of the game, Gs were awarded their chance.
Forty-eight minutes played in the second half and a transgression on the floor by a home forward was punished as Sam Hall slotted the ball between the posts and a well deserved, workmanlike victory.
The points from this win lift Gravesend back above London Irish Amateurs and back to eighth place, but they cannot rest on their laurels as they will need another five wins to ensure their league status.
Next week in the last game of 2011, Gs face a resurgent Westcliff XV who have scored eighty-seven points in their last two fixtures.
Gravesend: Sam Hall, Adam Bishop, Scott Curley, Josh Smith, Tom Goss, Gary Gray, Jon Clement, Jamie Forsyth, Warren McKee, Chris Anstey, Dave Irvine, Reuben Potaka, Tomas Ford, Ziggy Stevens, Sox Stevens. Rep: Phil Thompson, Nathan Lines, Jamie Gwynne.
