Strong efforts not enough at Sidcup

Giving away around twenty stone in the pack, Gss struggled to settle in the set pieces, but despite the lack of stature of the visiting forwards, and the dominance of Sidcup at the line-out and scrummage, Gss stilled showed sufficient enterprise to run the ball in search of the white line.
An early set back when the lively home hooker, Charlie Hopkins, backing up, took the pass to score to which Max O'Leary added the extra points for 7-0 in as many minutes.
The power of the home pack ensured that Gss ball was won as they were going backwards, giving little time for the half backs to get the ball away.
Tony Nolan having his first game for best part of a year, and his first at scrum half for five years, came under close attention from his opposite number, and the quickly up back row, but despite this managed to keep Gss fed with possession.
The diminutive Ashley Frampton at fly half fed his backs, but the speed of the Sidcup line allowed the ball to get no further.
The pick and drive at the break-down with Terry Papworth, and Tom Bird to the fore, compensated a little for the loss of set piece ball, but the home defence was emmence.
A penalty added from the boot of O'Leary and a miss from Gss saw the score move on to 10-0 at the end of the first quarter before on thirty minutes Sidcup eventually broke through the Gss defence for a second time when Joshua Twyford crossed to touch down.
O'Leary added the conversion and a second penalty to put Sidcup a flattering 20-0 in front.
Two out of three penalty chances were taken from the boot of full back Rhys Betts and Gss went in at the break 20-6 in arrears.
A converted soft try shortly after the interval saw Sidcup move away 27-6.
Despite this there was some enterprising running rugby from the Gss backs who had been well supported by the back row, and the hard working pack as they backed up to a man.
Lapse of concentration saw Sidcup gifted yet another, their fourth try of the afternoon and then three minutes later gaps were left for them to run in for a fifth, the coversion taking the score to a more than flattering 39-6.
The out of hand passing and the combination of forwards and backs inter-passing paid off when the ball reached Temi Okenla who had come in from his wing on the left.
With ball in hand and chased down by the pacey Sidcup defence, he stretched his legs to get to line and score close to the posts, Rhys Betts added the conversion to his two successful penalties of the first half to close the game out at 39-13.
Gss would have learned a lot from this game where they came up against a team that were pressing for promotion last season and to whom they were giving height and weight all round, a commendable effort in face of insurmountable odds.
Next week Gss are back on home turf where they take on Brighton with the usual 15.00 kick off.