Tight finish but points secured

With so much to play for in this fixture, Gravesend 1st XV were still able to find the time to join in with and support the mini and youth section who were playing a major role it the Gravesham Town Christmas Parade.
A full fifty minis joined the players to form a guard of honour as they took to the field at 15.00.
Early pressure from the Gravesend forwards earned Gary Gray the chance to put Gs on the board and he made no mistake from the tee, for 3-0 after just four minutes.
With Tom Newton at half back for Tring, it will always be a danger to give away penalties within his reach, and by eleven minutes had pulled the “Tring Boys” level.
Even at this early stage of the game it could be seen that Gravesend were playing the team game, while every positive move from the opposition resolved around the veteran fly-half Newton.
A second penalty from the boot of Gray was matched by one from Newton as the game crossed past the first quarter.
Heavy and strong defence was the order of the day for the visitors as they stemmed the onslaught from the Gravesend three-quarter line which was being kept in good supply of ball.
With Dave Irvine having left the field with an injury, Ziggy Stevens went in at lock and Geoff Marshall returned at No. 8.
Plenty of rolling mauls and forward drives following the breakdown, but Gs could not penetrate the durable Tring defence.
On one of the rare attacking plays that brought the game into the home twenty-two in the first forty minutes it was again Newton who took matters into his own hands as he dropped a goal with the last action of the first half.
Gravesend were 6-9 behind at the interval, but in no way did this reflect their superiority on the field, and they didn’t have to wait long for the first score after the break.
Two minutes in and Tring lost lock Tom Mowbray to the sin bin and Gravesend quickly took advantage of the man extra as Geoff Marshall crossed the line to touch-down.
Gary Gray added the conversion to put the score board in a more respectable position at 13-9.
Two minutes later Gs were also down to fourteen players as Sox Stevens was shown yellow for persistent off-side at the break-down.
Just before Mowbray returned to the fray, it was the turn of visiting full-back Richard Roberts to add his name to the score sheet with Tring’s second dropped goal to narrow the difference to 13-12.
Gravesend’s backs were getting a good service from their forwards and scum-half Jacob Bacon, and with Ashley Moorey combining well with his outside centre, Chris Meddings, it looked only a matter of time before the earlier try would be added to.
Stevens returned from his binning and along with Bird, Atkins and Marshall, continued to batter the visitors’ defence line and it was following one of these forward drives that the room was made for the backs.
Ball sent out from Bacon, and quickly moved to Scott Curley as he joined from full-back, having drawn the last defender the speedy Tom Goss was on hand to take the scoring pass and run round to touch-down.
Gray who had been having an excellent game all afternoon pushed the conversion wide, but Gs were now in control at 18-12.
Some questionable line out decisions were called, that put Gs under pressure as the ball went loose, and it was hard work to retrieve the situation at times.
Eight minutes left on the clock and Gravesend’s Jamie Forsyth was sent to the sin bin, which ended his participation in the remainder of the game.
Gs seven man pack kept their line secure until the seventy-eighth minute when Tring’s Louis Michalski forced his way over the whitewash.
The ever reliable Newton pulled his conversion kick and Gravesend sighed with relief to remain 18-17 to the good.
Tring could see the result going their way and put kicks up to pressure the Gs defence but this held strong.
When the referee indicated the last play of the game, at a Gravesend line-out, the ball was thrown long, and lost.
Tring grabbed their chances to move the game to within range for a drop goal, and with the final move of the play, Newton pushed his kick wide.
Gravesend supporters could again take a deep breath as the final whistle was blown to bring proceedings to an end.
Lots of positives can be taken from this game, a Gravesend three-quarter line that was working well despite the slippery ball, and their strength and depth in the back-row from the marauding foursome of Atkins, Bird, Marshall and Stevens.
The ball recycling and driving of Forsyth, Stevens and Klus, should help them take on their next opposition with a confidence that has been missing of late. All this coupled with a bench that can slot in with little or no disruption of their game control on the park.
Other results in the league saw London Irish Wild Geese take top spot as BSE slipped up against East Grinstead, Westcombe Park went down to Westcliff, Hertford overcame Barnes. Guernsey lost to CS Rugby and Amersham & Chilton succumbed to Chichester.
All of this moves Gravesend up two places as they go back to ninth level on points with CS Rugby, but will need to build on this to secure their place.