Power pack builds result

Gravesend consolidated their position in second place of London One South with displays of pack power play and three-quarter attacks that led to six tries, all of which were converted, along with three penalties from the boot of scrum half Miki Zanirato.
The players and spectators at today’s game stood for a minutes silence in recognition of the fallen lost in conflicts around the world.
Opposition, Cobham, had come with a record that showed they had won four of their games to date and had close, bonus point, losses to top of the table rivals Chichester and Chobham, and averaged over 21 points per game, so would be no push-over.
A great start when Miki Zanirato slotted over his first penalty following what was to be the pattern for the afternoon, pressure from Gravesend’s pack.
This was quickly followed by the first of the afternoon’s tries as Chris Meddings’ strong running at centre tore holes in the Cobham defence, and the backing up at the shoulder proved its value as the ball passed through the hands of four more players before Humphrey Kayange slipped over to touch-down.
Another Zanirato penalty was added to the tally before the end of the first quarter for a comfortable 13-0 lead.
The pick and drive from the Gravesend pack was proving hard for Cobham to hold back, but they defended to a man but it wasn’t enough to stop last season’s top front row try scorer, Jamie Forsyth, from crossing for Gs second try which was again converted by Zanirato.
Cobham were coming back into the game, and it could be seen why they had such a good scoring record, as Dave Flower sent his centres away with the ball.
Gs defence held firm until they were reduced to fourteen when Adam Aigbokhae was sin-binned on twenty-seven minutes for holding down.
Cobham’s forwards showed they also knew how drive with ball in hand, and were rewarded for their efforts with a well deserved try touched down by lock Guy Sears.
The conversion edged left of the posts but the visitors were now on the scoreboard 20-5.
Gravesend backs could be seen to be enjoying their rugby as the ample feed from Zanirato to his half-back partner Matt Bressons was providing so many opportunities for the backs to run on to.
Gary Gray and Bressons could be heard throughout the game marshalling the troops for both attack and defencive situations, and it was Gray that came close to adding to the score as he chased a Bressons kick through that just beat him as it went into touch by the corner flag.
As the first half was nearing the end, it was Will Meddings on the wide outside left who got his name on the score sheet.
Zanirato’s kick brought the score-line to 27-5 at the interval.
An error strewn twenty-minute period, saw Gs lose control of the ball on many occasions one of which led to the ball seizure by Cobham’s Billy Bates who made the half break before feeding Max Macdonald to race in for the first score of the second period.
Fly-half Flower stepped up to add the extras to narrow the difference to 27-12 after fifteen minutes of the restart.
Gs seemed to have lost their way, but they had come close on a couple of occasions and the backs were continuing to run some good lines, Temi Okenla was bundled into touch half a metre short of the line.
When Gs lost Dave Brooks-Smith injured, they rang the changes in the pack, Ziggy Stevens who had replaced Tom Bird In the back row, went in at lock, Klus came out to play at six while Sox Stevens went in at hooker.
The pace of the game was lifted as Sox Stevens added some extra urgency to the forward play, running straight lines at the opposition and tying in the defence.
There now followed more of the entertainment seen in the first forty as Gravesend put on a powerful display as the front five began to destroy the resistance and set the platform for more enterprising on and off the ball running.
Sixty minutes and another penalty success for Zanirato added to Gs first half tally before the tries came.
Fourteen minutes of fast open rugby saw Gravesend run in three more scores, the first these fell to Okenla as he followed through his own charge down to collect the ball and go between the posts.
Aigbokhae capped yet another excellent game when his backing up and constant disruption of the Cobham possession saw him rewarded when he crossed for Gs fifth try of the afternoon.
When number eight Kayange broke away with the ball forty metres out, he was chased down to close to the goal line, but with a whole line of three-quarters outside him he unselfishly tossed the ball back for GRFC club captain, Ashley Moorey to run in for the sixth.
Zanirato added the conversions to all three tries bringing his personal tally to 21 points which puts him top of the kickers table of London One South.
It is only the absence of a couple of bonus points from earlier games that keeps Gravesend off the top of the table as they have a superior point difference which today reached plus 200.

Team: 1 Charlie Cutting, 2 Marc Klus, 3 Jamie Forsyth, 4 Remus Necla, 5 David Brooks-Smith, 6 Tom Bird, 7 Adam Aigbokhae, 8 Humphrey Kayange, 9 Michele Zanirato, 10 Matt Bressons, 11 Temi Okenla, 12 Ashley Moorey, 13 Chris Meddings, 14 Will Meddings, 15 Gary Gray, 16 Ziggy Stevens, 17 Sox Stevens, 18 Joseph Fish.