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Sat 21 Dec 2013 · London 1 South
1st XVDover
Tries: Unknown, M Zanirato, M Bressons (2), G GrayConversions: M Zanirato (4)Yellow Carded: T Okenla
33
10
Gravesend top the league
Mike CUBITT22 Dec 2013 - 18:29
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Gravesend, out-played their visitors from East Kent from the kick-off, although a lapse of concentration allowed Dover to score in the last quarter.
Top of the table as they go into the Christmas break, Gravesend have a four point advantage over nearest promotion rivals Chichester, and are ten points clear of third placed Brighton.
Gravesend, unbeaten at home since April, out-played their visitors from East Kent from the kick-off, although a lapse of concentration allowed Dover in for two tries in the last quarter.
The game play was dictated throughout the afternoon by Gs lively scrum-half Michelle Zanirato, who’s empathy with both his forwards and three-quarters kept the play going forward and ensured there was plenty of ball for Matt Bressons to keep his line interested.
Play had already gone through several phases, with good speedy recycling before the charging Junior Harrison took the pass from Zanirato with the big number eight forcing his way down with the defence hanging on him, after just two minutes.
The successful conversion put Gravesend into an early lead 7-0.
Playing conditions were not the best, and it is a tribute to Jeff Moorey, who had been spiking the puddle area’s before the game, that the game went ahead.
A slippery ball and a quagmire under foot didn’t really lead to any fast flowing rugby, but the near two hundred spectators braved the elements to stay and watch the fairly dull game.
Two missed penalty chances from the boot of Jack Ayling, and the sin binning of Temi Okenla and Jack Walker-Smith left both sides with fourteen men for ten minutes.
Gravesend were made to defend for the middle twenty of the first forty minutes, and Dover kept them pinned near the twenty-two metre line.
It was yet again Zanirato who lifted the crowd’s spirits as he first showed the ball to pass then went through the gap to race in for the touch-down, with just one minute to the break and Gs went in 12-0 to the good.
Gs got off to an even quicker start in the second forty, taking the Dover drop out, a straight carry forward by the catcher, recycled ball for Bressons and the fly-half was away before he could be caught.
Zanirato added the points from the tee and it was 19-0 a minute into the play.
Gary Gray could be heard marshaling and positioning the back line throughout the game and it was no surprise when he and Okenla broke down the right exchanged passes before full-back Gray turned on the afterburners to get his try.
Forty-eight minutes played and the conversion put Gs in front 26-0.
Constant off-sides were spoiling the game in the second half, and Gravesend’s half back pair were the recipients of numerous unpunished early attention, which stopped any flow of the ball.
When Bressons lost the slippery ball it was an opportunist kick ahead that saw Dover replacement Joffrey the happy receiver of a gift try to put the visitors first points on the board 26-5.
Gravesend’s Charlie Cutting and his partners in the front row all had big games, but it was the young open-side prop that stood out with some big hits that stopped the opposition in their tracks.
Ashley Moorey was unlucky not to get on the score sheet as yet again he was on hand to charge down a clearance kick, only this time the ball went dead before he could get to it.
CJ Osazuwa was carried from the park with a knee injury which left the way open for a welcome return of Tomas Ford, who’s employment has moved him away from Gravesend, and the utility forward was soon in the thick of the play.
Another master class exhibition of try scoring came from Gravesend’s fly-half Bressons as he raced through a gap leaving the defence bemused as he touched down.
Zanirato finished off the Gravesend scoring as the points moved to 33-5.
A late consolation try for Dover’s Jack Ayling put the visitors on ten points, but his failure to add the conversion to either of their tries left the final score at 33-10.
Three of the Gravesend senior squad have turned out for every league game so far this season, Michele (Miki) Zanirato, Temi Okenla and Charlie Cutting, which shows their dedication to their personal fitness paying dividends where it counts.
Other results in the race for top spot saw wins for Chichester and Brighton that keep them in second and third spot respectively.
Next week sees the league take a well earned break for the festive season, but are back with a full programme on 4 January, when Gravesend visit Hawards Heath for the first fixture of 2014.
Gravesend, unbeaten at home since April, out-played their visitors from East Kent from the kick-off, although a lapse of concentration allowed Dover in for two tries in the last quarter.
The game play was dictated throughout the afternoon by Gs lively scrum-half Michelle Zanirato, who’s empathy with both his forwards and three-quarters kept the play going forward and ensured there was plenty of ball for Matt Bressons to keep his line interested.
Play had already gone through several phases, with good speedy recycling before the charging Junior Harrison took the pass from Zanirato with the big number eight forcing his way down with the defence hanging on him, after just two minutes.
The successful conversion put Gravesend into an early lead 7-0.
Playing conditions were not the best, and it is a tribute to Jeff Moorey, who had been spiking the puddle area’s before the game, that the game went ahead.
A slippery ball and a quagmire under foot didn’t really lead to any fast flowing rugby, but the near two hundred spectators braved the elements to stay and watch the fairly dull game.
Two missed penalty chances from the boot of Jack Ayling, and the sin binning of Temi Okenla and Jack Walker-Smith left both sides with fourteen men for ten minutes.
Gravesend were made to defend for the middle twenty of the first forty minutes, and Dover kept them pinned near the twenty-two metre line.
It was yet again Zanirato who lifted the crowd’s spirits as he first showed the ball to pass then went through the gap to race in for the touch-down, with just one minute to the break and Gs went in 12-0 to the good.
Gs got off to an even quicker start in the second forty, taking the Dover drop out, a straight carry forward by the catcher, recycled ball for Bressons and the fly-half was away before he could be caught.
Zanirato added the points from the tee and it was 19-0 a minute into the play.
Gary Gray could be heard marshaling and positioning the back line throughout the game and it was no surprise when he and Okenla broke down the right exchanged passes before full-back Gray turned on the afterburners to get his try.
Forty-eight minutes played and the conversion put Gs in front 26-0.
Constant off-sides were spoiling the game in the second half, and Gravesend’s half back pair were the recipients of numerous unpunished early attention, which stopped any flow of the ball.
When Bressons lost the slippery ball it was an opportunist kick ahead that saw Dover replacement Joffrey the happy receiver of a gift try to put the visitors first points on the board 26-5.
Gravesend’s Charlie Cutting and his partners in the front row all had big games, but it was the young open-side prop that stood out with some big hits that stopped the opposition in their tracks.
Ashley Moorey was unlucky not to get on the score sheet as yet again he was on hand to charge down a clearance kick, only this time the ball went dead before he could get to it.
CJ Osazuwa was carried from the park with a knee injury which left the way open for a welcome return of Tomas Ford, who’s employment has moved him away from Gravesend, and the utility forward was soon in the thick of the play.
Another master class exhibition of try scoring came from Gravesend’s fly-half Bressons as he raced through a gap leaving the defence bemused as he touched down.
Zanirato finished off the Gravesend scoring as the points moved to 33-5.
A late consolation try for Dover’s Jack Ayling put the visitors on ten points, but his failure to add the conversion to either of their tries left the final score at 33-10.
Three of the Gravesend senior squad have turned out for every league game so far this season, Michele (Miki) Zanirato, Temi Okenla and Charlie Cutting, which shows their dedication to their personal fitness paying dividends where it counts.
Other results in the race for top spot saw wins for Chichester and Brighton that keep them in second and third spot respectively.
Next week sees the league take a well earned break for the festive season, but are back with a full programme on 4 January, when Gravesend visit Hawards Heath for the first fixture of 2014.
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