Gannets win war of attrition

The top of the table Gannets made the short trip to Vigo facing a venerable selection headache.25 made themselves available for today and captain Ben had the unenviable task of disappointing 7 men.Something he's not had to do since a drunken night out in Vauxhall a couple of years ago but that's a story for another time.

On a pitch that could best be described as a leveller,the Gees started with what was perhaps their best passage of play this season.Keeping hold of the ball for around ten minutes from the kickoff with controlled and measured play which involved pretty much every member of the team,Hell even Mayhew didn't drop the ball.The Vigo defence was stout,as expected but eventually the gaps came and Tom Filmer crashed over from short range for his second try in as many games.

The villagers regrouped and realising that running through the Gannets wasn't gaining the required ground,made use of their kicking game to good effect,pinning the visitors inside their 22 for the next period of the game.Handling errors in the difficult conditions and sloppy penalties kept them there until a run from one of the big Vigo forwards brought them inside the 5.The usually sound Gees tackling just wasn't low enough on this occasion as the defence were pushed back and over the line for a 5-5 score at the half.

With Big H back on for the start of the second half after resting an ankle knock the Gees pack was now gaining the edge in the set scrums and with knock on after knock on,much of the period degenerated into scrummaging practice.The Gannets,however were having all the territory and bar the odd Vigo defensive kick were camped out inside their hosts half.

The game looked to be petering out into a draw when the increasingly androgynous Dan Grant was yellow carded for handing the ball back to Vigo via a players head.This lit a fire under the visitors as they battered the defence with Mike Percival prominent as ever.The ball finding its way out to the backs who showed why perhaps they should have been trusted with it more often when Connor Watkins entered the line from fullback and broke through to score.

Once again,the Gannets failed to convert their territorial dominance into points but they can be excused in todays conditions.Fair play to Vigo for getting the game on where perhaps other teams (in the Rochester area) might have bailed.

Next up it's a top of the table clash as the mighty Gannets host Canterbury.Will they have 25 to pick from again or will the twos raid them once again and leave them down to the bare bones with a team selction more random than an Ian Shuttlewood kick to touch?

Make sure you tune in next week...until next time...