Wild Geese let off the hook

Gravesend will have been disappointed that they only got a losing bonus point from this game, against an ill disciplined London Irish XV that can consider themselves very lucky to have finished the afternoon with fifteen players on the park.
As it was their indiscipline cost them three yellow cards as their penalty count rose beyond 3 to 1 against in the second half.
A lively start by the visitors and some well timed passing was causing gaps in Gss line, and it was on six minutes that Ben Kitching accepted the pass to run in unopposed.
Ollie Turner slotted over the easiest of his quartet of conversions to put the Geese ahead 0-7 in as many minutes.
Gravesend's pack were not showing their normally steady performance in these early exchanges and gave away penalties for going down when under pressure.
Field kicks were keeping Gss on the back foot, but when they did have possession they were not afraid to run the ball from inside their own twenty-two.
Great line-out by James (Wabbler) Newman, assisted by his lifters, gave a good supply of ball off the top for Jacob Bacon to get his line moving, but some resolute tackling by the Irish stopped them from any major progression.
It was again some fine interplay, by the Irish, in the centre, just before the end of the second quarter, that saw the ball go both ways and back before Seb Rodwell went through the gap for the visitors second try.
When Wabbler was taken out in the air, at another well taken line-out, the referee, Mr Santiago Altobelli did not hesitate to show the yellow card to Andy Evans who had ten minutes to sit out in the sin-bin. Unfortunately the resulting penalty opportunity went below the bar.
Gss were getting more control on the game for this second period and could be considered unlucky not to have been on the board earlier, but following several phases of recycling, Scott Curley took the ball at ground level then burst through between the posts, it was no more than just reward for the hard graft that had been put in by the pack.
Jacob Berthelson added the conversion to the penalty he had slotted over just two minutes earlier, to reduce the deficit to 10-14.
One can't help wondering what might have been had Temi Okenla had been able to finish a fine solo effort that saw him two metres short, but his pass to Cameron Barbour was nudged forward to give the visitors a let off.
The Geese again flew out of the blocks at the start of the second half, but it was again their indiscipline that led to a second penalty chance for Gss which again went adrift.
The game was by no means settled, as Gss were beginning to get back on top but they were being stopped by fair-means and foul, and Tom Livett became the second Irish player to be sent to the sin-bin for ten minutes cooling off.
Gss were looking to add to their first half total and were pressing the visitors line when they lost the ball forward, with the knock-on advantage, a break from their own goal line saw a speedy full-back Matt Killeen fly the coup and just beat the fast closing Okenla to the line.
Another opportunity missed by Gss, but the ever accurate Turner added the points to slip ahead 10-21.
Sixty-five minutes on the clock and following some more enterprising play from the home backs as they supported the pack who
won the lions share of the rucked ball, and the carry forwards from Gss Jamie Forsyth, Ziggy Stevens, Thomas Bird and Geoff Marshall.
Gary Gray and Goss had linked well, as did Gray and Okenla, with the ball going through several pairs of hands at last the latter found the space to out wit the defence to touch down near the corner flag. The arrears had been reduced to 15-21, but Gss still deserved more.
A third visitor's player was shown yellow, again not for a technical offence, but Gss could never capitalise on having the extra man.
Plenty of pressure found the door closed by a tight defence marshalled by a coaching staff that failed to stay in the technical area for most of the game.
Livett had been back on the park five minutes and the strong number eight made the most of his stature to force his way close enough to stretch over the line.
Gravesend did not let up from their ambitious play and it was the odd slip that allowed the let-offs for the Wild Geese.
It was a call, from Tom Goss, for the cross kick that saw the surefooted wing catch the high ball before running in for the try which Berthelson converted to bring the losing bonus point, but still Gss pressed for the winning score that was not to come.
Many a lesser team than London Irish Wild Geese would have rolled over from the pressure that Gss had put on them, and despite the indiscipline, every Irish try was a well taken one and deserved.
Next week another 14.00 start to accommodate the World Cup.