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Sat 28 Mar 2015 ·  National League 3 London & SE
Hertford
1st XV
15
18
Tries: S Curley, M Klus, T OkenlaPenalties: G Montgomery
Back to back away success for Gsss
Mike CUBITT28 Mar 2015 - 19:06
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This may not have been the most inspiring game of rugby to have watched on Saturday, but Gsss added the scalp of Hertford to previous success at Tring
With the season coming to its climax, with just two more fixtures to play after the Hertford one, there appeared to be little urgency in the players attitudes on the park, but Gravesend wanted to get the result more than the home XV and they worked hard enough to deserve their win away at Hoe Lane.
Ninety minute delays on the M25 in not conducive of producing a team ready to take on all comers, but Gsss were able to get their act together well enough to produce a disciplined first half performance that sent them in with a narrow 7-10 advantage at the break.
It seems a shame that playing his last game for this season, Eli Atkins didn't get on the score sheet, but such was his presence on the park that his final appearance was accompanied by a non-stop hundred per-cent contribution that kept Hertford on the back foot at the break-down, as he competed for the ball and possession.
It was Scott Curley who eventually broke the deadlock as he joined the line to make the extra space outside, before jinking through to touch down.
The strong wind took Jacob Berthelson's conversion just wide, and 0-5 was a good position at the end of the first quarter.
Coming straight back from the re-start, Hert's pack were eager not to lose too much ground with a man in the sin-bin, and it was number eight Dan Belton that took control to force his way over to level the scores, before James Russell edged the home Xv into a narrow 7-5 lead.
A second injury to Berthelson saw the youngster having to depart with just twenty-six minutes on the clock, he was replaced by George Montgomery, who had influenced the previous week's result.
Gravesend were spreading the ball both sides as they looked to get the break through and this came on twenty-seven minutes when Marc Klus took the pass out, that should have gone all the way, and the hooker ran in for Gsss second try.
Mongomery put in a good kick, but with the wind as it was it slid wide of the posts.
Stout defending by both sides saw there was little ground given either way, and when the half time whistle went the closeness of the score was a true representation of the chances on the park, with the score at 7-10.
After the interval, it was the wind that again played a big part in guiding Montgomery's early chance between the posts, as it appeared to be taking it out before bringing it back between the uprights for 7-13.
With ten minutes played of the second half, intervention from the touchline saw Matt Culver sitting out ten minutes in the sin-bin, Herts were again down to fourteen players.
Gravesend were enjoying the lion share of the ball, as the forwards were performing to task, but they were unable to make any inroads to the home defence.
As the game went into the last quarter it was a penalty from the boot of James Russell that narrowed the difference to 10-13, but it looked just a matter of time before this would be countered as Gsss backs were putting in some good runs down the middle of the park, and with Jacob Bacon commanding the set piece distribution and the base of the breakdowns, more had to come.
So much possession but no points to reflect this on the score board until the ball eventually spread wide enough to reach Temi Okenla who finished off an easy try. What might have been had a few more balls reached him earlier.
The conversion went adrift, but 10-18 was looking good with twelve minutes to play.
Herts didn't roll over but continued to look for the gap that would get them through, and it came as Josh Corcorran broke away from the tackle, showed the ball inside before crossing the whitewash.
15-18 and Russell's conversion went wide as the wind again held the ball up.
Both XVs had chances to add to their earlier scores but neither were able to finish off their moves, and when the final whistle went it was a relief to the spectators as much as the players, that a stubbornly unyielding contest had come to a close.
With Easter week giving a blank league fixture, the next encounter at Rectory Field will be when Gravesend take on Amersham and Chilton on the occasion of their Vice-Presidents lunch.
Ninety minute delays on the M25 in not conducive of producing a team ready to take on all comers, but Gsss were able to get their act together well enough to produce a disciplined first half performance that sent them in with a narrow 7-10 advantage at the break.
It seems a shame that playing his last game for this season, Eli Atkins didn't get on the score sheet, but such was his presence on the park that his final appearance was accompanied by a non-stop hundred per-cent contribution that kept Hertford on the back foot at the break-down, as he competed for the ball and possession.
It was Scott Curley who eventually broke the deadlock as he joined the line to make the extra space outside, before jinking through to touch down.
The strong wind took Jacob Berthelson's conversion just wide, and 0-5 was a good position at the end of the first quarter.
Coming straight back from the re-start, Hert's pack were eager not to lose too much ground with a man in the sin-bin, and it was number eight Dan Belton that took control to force his way over to level the scores, before James Russell edged the home Xv into a narrow 7-5 lead.
A second injury to Berthelson saw the youngster having to depart with just twenty-six minutes on the clock, he was replaced by George Montgomery, who had influenced the previous week's result.
Gravesend were spreading the ball both sides as they looked to get the break through and this came on twenty-seven minutes when Marc Klus took the pass out, that should have gone all the way, and the hooker ran in for Gsss second try.
Mongomery put in a good kick, but with the wind as it was it slid wide of the posts.
Stout defending by both sides saw there was little ground given either way, and when the half time whistle went the closeness of the score was a true representation of the chances on the park, with the score at 7-10.
After the interval, it was the wind that again played a big part in guiding Montgomery's early chance between the posts, as it appeared to be taking it out before bringing it back between the uprights for 7-13.
With ten minutes played of the second half, intervention from the touchline saw Matt Culver sitting out ten minutes in the sin-bin, Herts were again down to fourteen players.
Gravesend were enjoying the lion share of the ball, as the forwards were performing to task, but they were unable to make any inroads to the home defence.
As the game went into the last quarter it was a penalty from the boot of James Russell that narrowed the difference to 10-13, but it looked just a matter of time before this would be countered as Gsss backs were putting in some good runs down the middle of the park, and with Jacob Bacon commanding the set piece distribution and the base of the breakdowns, more had to come.
So much possession but no points to reflect this on the score board until the ball eventually spread wide enough to reach Temi Okenla who finished off an easy try. What might have been had a few more balls reached him earlier.
The conversion went adrift, but 10-18 was looking good with twelve minutes to play.
Herts didn't roll over but continued to look for the gap that would get them through, and it came as Josh Corcorran broke away from the tackle, showed the ball inside before crossing the whitewash.
15-18 and Russell's conversion went wide as the wind again held the ball up.
Both XVs had chances to add to their earlier scores but neither were able to finish off their moves, and when the final whistle went it was a relief to the spectators as much as the players, that a stubbornly unyielding contest had come to a close.
With Easter week giving a blank league fixture, the next encounter at Rectory Field will be when Gravesend take on Amersham and Chilton on the occasion of their Vice-Presidents lunch.
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