With team selection now being replaced by a triage system and the physio’s room prior to the game resembling a mobile trauma unit just getting a team out was an achievement this week. The injury curse that is affecting the squad is depleting the playing strength but not the spirit of this promising team with players playing when half fit and out of position.
The game kicked off with a strange ambiance after Blackheath turned up with no front row and a match of uncontested scrums beckoned. G’s started brightly and were soon in amongst the Blackheath team and their suspiciously mobile pack. However as last weeks game showed ball retention was key and with the ball being turned over Blackheath were soon breaking down the wing to score the games first try which was well converted into the wind.
Gravesend came back strongly and started to put some good passages of play together only to be penalised in their own half from which Blackheath’s kicker again converted into the wind. This galvanised Gravesend into action and they started to impose themselves on the opposition with Heggs and Wakeman carrying well and Weeks always a threat in the centre. A good passage of continuity resulted in the Gilham J releasing Taylor who made the outside break to score out wide; he converted his own kick to bring the score back to 7-10.
From the kick off the G’s came back strongly with the returning Walpole skipping around in the loose and Luck running good lines always being a threat. However Blackheath’s team of backs were constantly testing the Gravesend defence and it was only some scrambled defence that kept them out. The G’s started to play with more fluency now then and started to stretch the Blackheath defence, after three good phases Luck picked another good line and burst through the defence for an unconverted try to take G’s into a 12-10 lead.
This seemed to galvanise Blackheath though who playing as thought their team was full of backs began to pick holes in the Gravesend defence scored another try from turning over Gravesend ball in their own half and before half time to hold a 12 - 15 lead.
With the wind at their back Blackheath began to play the conditions well and kicked deep into G’s territory, this put pressure on the G’s back three with Taylor coping admirably and keeping Gravesend on the front foot. However the pressure soon told with Blackheath scoring another try and a penalty soon after the restart to take a 12-23 lead.
Then the turning point of the game happened, Blackheath scored again to seemingly leave the G’s dead and buried with injured players strewn across the pitch. But the Blackheath touch judge alerted the referee to a foot in touch and the play was brought back for the line out. The evergreen Ethan White was brought on as a super sub to galvanise the young G’s side and so the comeback started.
Gav having another excellent game at scrum half spotted a hole on the defence and burst through the defence and ran in under the posts for a try converted by Taylor, this brought the G’s back to 19-23.
Gravesend with White coercing them into greater efforts began to put their patterns of play together and Luck ran another great line to scamper through the defence to score again, taking Gravesend into a 24-23 lead. Unfortunately Taylor’s conversion from under the posts was charged down. The game was now really on with Gravesend’s confidence growing along with the injury list but team spirit and sheer determination was seeing them through.
The Gravesend pack really was on fire now and with Manbir now punching holes in the centre providing a huge physical presence they were taking the game to Blackheath. Once again Luck ran a great line and seemingly was about to score but a last grasp tackle hauled him down only for the off load to reach Gilham G who plunged over for the try which this time Taylor converted to take the lead out to 31-23.
With time running down G’s came back strongly from the kick off with Brown carrying well and drove into the opposition half. Just to crown a fine match when the ball was moved wider Luck again hit the space with a sumptuous line and scored under the posts for another converted try for a 38-23 lead.
Blackheath came back to score a late try but the G’s defence held and through sheer persistence and will power the game was won.
Coming into November the 2nd team have secured 16 points from a possible 20 and with hopefully players beginning to return to fitness are well positioned for the rest of the season.
Team: Taylor, Barr, Proctor, Weeks, Paul, Gilham J, Gav, Walpole, Luck, Saunders, Heggs, Wakeman, Manbir, Brown, Gilham G. Subs White, Kelham
Scorers:
Tries Luck 3, Taylor, Gav, Gilham G
Conversions Taylor 4
