Well deserved victory at the Manor

Pressure from the off and the home XV had conceded their first penalty, which the returning Jacob Berthelson made no mistake with as he slotted it between the posts for 0-3.
Spoiling play around the fringes kept the home side interested, but it was at the cost of penalties, one attempt was missed, but on ten minutes, recycled ball with Jacob Berthelson ready to receive in the box, and a drop goal went through the posts to double the score at 0-6.
Gss were the dominant force at all phases of the game, but were not getting it all their own way at the break-down, and were penalised for lying over the ball which gave Manor's full back, Nicholas Horton the chance to pull three points back at the end of the first quarter 3-6.
Having been treated to some fine performances from the backs this season, it was hopeful that this may be repeated in this game. It was resolute tackling by the home backs, and spoiling by their loose forwards that was keeping them in the game, before good hands saw the ball reach Geoff Marshall who burst through for Gss first try of the afternoon wide on the right.
The conversion was narrowly missed, with Gss edging ahead at 3-11.
Little of any event from the home side, but the tackles had to count, and at times it was the second man covering that rescued the situation for Gravesend.
Thirty-seven minutes on the clock and Gss were called on to defend their line and they did this manfully, before Ashley Moorey was adjudged to have played the man off the ball, and shown yellow for ten minutes in the sin-bin.
Full-back Horton stepped forward to slot the kick through the uprights to reduce the arrears for the home XV to 6-11.
Good use of the rolling subs ruling saw Harley Skidmore come on for the last ten minutes of the first half, replacing veteran front row Jamie Forsyth for a breather.
Two minutes after the restart the dreaded knee problem struck Gss when Tom Bishop was left on the ground clutching his leg, ten minutes later he was helped from the field after receiving treatment. At this point the evergreen Anthony Nolan was called off the bench and a reshuffle moved Temi Okenla into the centre.
When Gss were back to full strength with the return of Moorey, it wasn't long before the impact of the driving forwards, led by the charging Ziggy Stevens, started to pay dividends, and with recycled ball moved quickly left, the long pass from Steven McNamara to Temi Okenla, reached Tom Goss who went over in the corner, 6-16 and a comfortable cushion.
The rested Forsyth came back on the park to replace Tom Shields on the tight head side while Robin Foulet came back to take a place in the back row. Before the third quarter was out Gss third try and Geoff Marshall's second was on the board.
Jacob Berthelson slotted the conversion to edge away 6-23.
Full-back Steven McNamara showed he was well aware of the opportunities in front of him and put some well placed kicks that turned the home backs. A good understanding can be seen between Marshall at eight and Jacob Bacon at scrum half which gets some good ball out to the backs, or can be driven with the aid of the support players.
So much pressure from the visitors, as they drove from the line-out, and it was inevitable that the infringing would cost them dearly, and this was the case when a penalty-try was awarded and the home eight, Louie Sutherland was also shown yellow for a ten minute spell in the sin bin.
Berthelson added the extras which put Gss at 6-30 to the good, this being the final score of the afternoon.