Power pack sets up Gravesend

With the normally reliable Sam Hurley pushing the ball wide from the tee with only thirty seconds on the clock, and only slotting one of his next three opportunities, Gs were lucky to be in front at the end of the first quarter.
The basic errors coming from a team that has a scoring point’s difference of 288 was incredible, as chance after chance was wasted.
An embarrassing penalty and free kick account that showed that they had been penalised ten or more times in the first half, was not shown on the score sheet.
Although Sutton and Epsom were rightfully gaining possession from these transgressions, they were coming up against a defence that was not about to roll over.
Massive tackles from all directions were going in on the man with the ball, and in the close encounters none were more impressive than Charlie Cutting as he sealed off the way through.
The Gs line-out was not as impressive as it has been of late, but they continued to gain more than a fair share from this aspect of the game.
What is becoming most impressive is the way that the players are committed to each other, both going forward and in defence.
The scrummage was a point of note, having secured a penalty try on five minutes, through the constant pressure at the set piece, they went on to dominate this area of the game throughout.
The powerhouse was led from the front row of Cutting, Klus and Forsyth, and the tying in and ball winning at the break-down saw Ziggy Stevens and Adam Aigbokhae along with C J Osazuwa keep a good supply going to the backs.
To give S&E their due, when their backs had the ball in hand they always looked to mbe a danger, until they ran into Gravesend’s Maginot line, which proved impenetrable for the full eighty minutes, ten of which in the second half saw Gs down to thirteen on the park.
At 7-3, the score was looking tight until the visitors attempted to kick clear of their line, the outstretched arms of Ashley Moorey were too much for the clearance, and he managed to follow up the charge-down to collect and score.
S&E never sat back and continued to put some sound passing moves through the backs as Murray and Hitchcock sent Steyn and Cook away, but these sorties were short lived.
The forwards again got a name on the board as a series of set scrummage on the opposition five metre line resulted in a pushover try touched down by Osazuwa.
Miki Zanirato added his second successful conversion and a penalty to bring the first half to a close.
A livelier start after the interval saw Gs making progress with ball in hand, and slightly less errors, but the penalty and free kick tally continued to mount and by the final whistle had risen to a total of nineteen.
The result of the better ball retention was an early score for Matt Bressons as the lively fly-half showed and went past the S&E back line to score under the posts.
More of the excellent passing moves saw both three-quarters and forwards involved in the exchanges and it was no surprise when Chris Meddings capped yet another fine performance as he went over.
With the score standing at 34-3, Gravesend were still being made to defend the strong running S&E attacks, and this defensive work rate had to increase from those left on the park, when on sixty minutes Sox Stevens was sin-binned for retaliation followed one minute later by Remus Necular.
Ten minutes of a six man pack, but still they managed to repel all comers and, not only that, managed to cross the line for a sixth try as Temi Okenla joined the chase forward at pace, running a line that cut through the defence.
Zanirato’s conversion on seventy-two minutes was the final score of the day bringing the tally to 41-3.
Okenla was unlucky not to be awarded a second try in the dying moments, when he was adjudged to have lost control as he grounded the ball.
Chichester again managed to maintain their lead at the top of the division as they ran out 57-14 victors over Staines, Brighton enjoyed a close win at home to Beckenham, while Chobham slipped up losing to Dover 17-15.