Gravesend travelled the motorways to take on Luton at Newlands Road on Saturday with both the 1st XV and under eight’s mini squad, on their first outing for a curtain raiser for the main event.
The weather did all it could to put a dampener on proceedings, but in the first game for the minis, they came back from a 9-7 deficit to run out 9-10 winners.
With a few changes to ensure every player had a game, Gs made it a double victory winning another close game 2-5.
In the main event of the afternoon, Gravesend drew the short straw and found themselves playing into sheeting rain and high winds from the outset.
An early penalty from the boot of Aidan Kenny put Luton ahead after just three minutes.

Following the drop out, Gravesend lost hooker Warren McKee and inexplicably Gs chose to disrupt their pack further when Ziggy Stevens went into middle of the front row with Reuben Potaka coming in on the flank.

As Gravesend were being forced to defend, failure to protect the kicker gave the home attack the chance to charge down Dave Dorton’s kick inside the twenty-two and this led to a converted try after thirteen minutes.

Gravesend’s efforts, led by skipper Jamie Forsyth came gave them little comfort and they went in at the break trailing from those early points.

Coming out after the break, and showing an increased urgency, they forced the home side to concede a penalty which Dorton converted for 10-3 on the forty-two minute mark.

Not to be out done, Kenny slotted over to restore the home advantage at 13-3.

Little impression was being made as Gs were not hitting their jumpers at the line outs, but Luton were also found wanting in this area.

Fifty minutes on the clock and Dorton pulled the score back to 13-6 as good work from a resurgent Matt Clement put pressure on the ball receivers.

It was the work of brothers Clement and Steven that kept Gs in the hunt and earned another penalty chance, duely accepted by Dorton.

With twenty minutes to play and now within a try of the lead, Gs efforts increased, but a dour Luton defence denied them a way through.

Out of defence and back in Gravesend territory, Kenny took his chance as Gs offended and the ever reliable fly half took the scores to 16-9.

A penalty miss kept the scores unchanged but Gs never let up on their effort to come back.
Time running short, Gravesend were on the attack as they rolled the ball forward recycling as they went.

As Gs forwards went to the left, drawing the home defence to cover, a three man overlap with just forwards in front of them looked to have opened at last. Unfortunately the inability to hold onto the ball led to the knock-on and the final whistle.

It was Luton’s fine defence that earned them the points while Gravesend came home with what may be a crucial losing bonus point.
Gravesend: Tony Whitehead, Scott Curley, Adam Bishop, Josh Smith, Tom Goss, Dave Dorton, Jon Clement, Jamie Forsyth, Warren McKee, Nathan Lines, Dave Irvine, James Newman, Ziggy Stevens, Matt Clement, Sox Stevens. Rep: Sam Brice, Reuben Potaka, Jamie Gwynne.