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Sat 12 Dec 2015 ·  National League 3
Westcliff
1st XV
30
8
Tries: A MooreyPenalties: S McNamaraYellow Carded: T Bird
The only way is Essex!
Mike CUBITT12 Dec 2015 - 17:56
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Gravesend's woes continued as they came off the park with another deficit 30-8.
At the half way point, with the score standing at 5-3, there was all to play for. One team grabbed their opportunities while the other found they had nowhere to go.
Before today, in the six national league encounters between the clubs, Westcliff had come off second best, but not in this fixture.
Under the scrutiny of referee Sarah Cox, Varsity ladies match official, the players were allowed to play on that kept the game flowing, but she was not afraid to discipline Gss who had strayed off-side so many times in the first ten minutes that Tom Bird took a team yellow card.
Westcliff provided the entertainment as they continued to move the ball wide through the support of players backing up, but the fourth minute try was all they had to show for their efforts.
Gravesend meanwhile had difficulty going forward with a flat line and slow ball, and could not use the strong wind to get the ball beyond the opposition or turn them.
A well struck twenty-eighth minute penalty from the boot of Stephen McNamara put Gss in contention and with two struggling teams on the park the outcome looked to be able to go either way.
For Westcliff, an early second half penalty from the boot of Andy Roskams, was followed by a further seven points from the same player as he eased through to touch down and convert his own try.
All attempted break-outs from Gss, and there were a few, were stopped in there tracks, another good back row performance with Ashley Moorey noticeable in the back line, but little else.
A well worked try that followed several penalty decisions at a five metre scrum when the ball eventually arrived with space for Ashley Moorey to cross the whitewash, too little too late.
Tails in the air, Westcliff forged on and two well taken tries from the rampaging Jim Smith were deserved, and Roskams conversion to one and a penalty eased the result to 30-8 and a first National League victory over Gravesend.
Gravesend slipped deeper into the relegation area with just Eton Manor below them while Chichester slipped to one above.
Before today, in the six national league encounters between the clubs, Westcliff had come off second best, but not in this fixture.
Under the scrutiny of referee Sarah Cox, Varsity ladies match official, the players were allowed to play on that kept the game flowing, but she was not afraid to discipline Gss who had strayed off-side so many times in the first ten minutes that Tom Bird took a team yellow card.
Westcliff provided the entertainment as they continued to move the ball wide through the support of players backing up, but the fourth minute try was all they had to show for their efforts.
Gravesend meanwhile had difficulty going forward with a flat line and slow ball, and could not use the strong wind to get the ball beyond the opposition or turn them.
A well struck twenty-eighth minute penalty from the boot of Stephen McNamara put Gss in contention and with two struggling teams on the park the outcome looked to be able to go either way.
For Westcliff, an early second half penalty from the boot of Andy Roskams, was followed by a further seven points from the same player as he eased through to touch down and convert his own try.
All attempted break-outs from Gss, and there were a few, were stopped in there tracks, another good back row performance with Ashley Moorey noticeable in the back line, but little else.
A well worked try that followed several penalty decisions at a five metre scrum when the ball eventually arrived with space for Ashley Moorey to cross the whitewash, too little too late.
Tails in the air, Westcliff forged on and two well taken tries from the rampaging Jim Smith were deserved, and Roskams conversion to one and a penalty eased the result to 30-8 and a first National League victory over Gravesend.
Gravesend slipped deeper into the relegation area with just Eton Manor below them while Chichester slipped to one above.
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