Gannets still unbeaten this year !

On a quite frankly,bloody freezing day for rugby,the housewives favourites took to the banana pitch looking for a winning start to 2017.
Once again,selection problems reared its ugly head meaning that (injured) Captain Ben had to field a forward heavy side against a much changed and indeed much younger Maidstone side from the one they faced at Mote Park a few months ago.

In quite uncustomary fashion for the Gannets,they started the match like a house on fire.Early forward pressure saw first Craig Duvana and then Mike Percival stopped on the line by some strong Stones defending before an attacking line out some 10 metres from the line was rapidly transformed into the Gannets patented rolling maul.The irresistible force met..not a lot really and the ball was touched down over the line by...you know what I've a few to many whacks to the head and my memory isn't what it once was.Anyway,Perri stroked home the kick for an early 7-0 lead.

And they were soon back at it with 2 quick scores with Mike Percival instrumental in both.Firstly he went over in the corner after some excellent,physical forward play and then picking up from the base of a scrum won against the head he burst through the heart of the Maidstone defence to feed Connor Watkins for the go ahead score under the posts.The conversion was missed ferchrissake!

Against the run of play it was the visitors that scored next with the 8 taking advantage of a lapse in concentration amongst the Gannets defence,bursting out from the back of a maul to score from 10 metres out.

The half ended much as it began with the Gannets on the attack.Jamie Feighery drifted out to the centres,causing confusion in the visitors backline and duly brushed off a couple of half hearted tackles to touch down.By now Perri had been sacked from kicking duties in favour of Connor and he made no mistake for a 24-5 lead at the half.

It was the Stones that started the second period the brighter,attacking the corner with firstly Ian (cold,bored) Shuttlewood and then Perce making some great goal line tackles before an exchange of kicks led to the try of the game.Craig Duvana fielded the ball just inside the half and urged on by the freezing (and injured) spectators,jumping around to keep warm took off upfield,bouncing a couple for good measure before offloading to Ben Ide who in turn showed deft hands in offloading to little Willy to score in the corner.

A close second in the try of the game stakes came from Perri,fielding an aimless kick downfield at halfway he first headed out to the touchine and then inside leaving tacklers in his ginger wake before touching down under the posts for a score which he fittingly converted himself.

So that was it,job done for the Gannets as they then sat back and allowed Maidstone to attack them at will.A combination of sound defensive work and Maidstone inexplicably kicking downfield towards a grateful Perri when they perhaps should have backed their runners meant no further scored were added until the final 5 minutes when the Stones centre went in for a converted try.Perhaps the highlight of this period was Mayhem catching a ricocheting ball having defied his Mrs and playing with a badly taped arm.

So there you have it,a win for the Gannets and they are indeed,unbeaten this year.Even with Shutttlewood (still cold and bored) on the wing.There was someone else I had to give a mention to because apparently i'm 'a prick' to him in match reports.

But I've forgotten who it was.

Until next time...