Wet and windy winners

First things first, the Gannets would like to say a massive thank you to Tunbridge Wells for getting this game on. With 13 taking the field for kick off with the promise of another arriving (who never materialised) you could have forgiven them for looking out of the window and saying 'screw this, I'm going back to bed'. But take the field they did and they gave a decent account of themselves for an hour until the Gees combination of physicality and excellent handling in the backs (yes I did just say that) took their toll and referee Normski did the decent thing and wrapped things up early.
It was the Abbottoir that opened the scoring, following an excellent kick downfield from Pete Stone, which I'm sure he meant, found touch via a Wells player just inside the 5. The scrum half for the day took matters into his own hands by sneaking around the back of the ruck and sliding in for the early score.
Dan Grant back on kicking duties for the day after last weeks hiccups made no mistake as he also did for the following two scores.
Speaking of which the next score wasn't far behind with the Gannets winning turnover ball midfield and ending in Ian Shuttlewood selling a dummy which no one knew he had in his locker, well not that sort of dummy anyway, and touching down under the posts. By the way, best he doesn't take his kit bag on any transatlantic flights as I doubt that Homeland Security will see the funny side in a holdall with IS on the side of it...anyhow the next score was made in Gravesend's Eastern European quarter as Vid 'the Lithuanian Mountie' (he always gets his man) Petrauskas fielded the ball deep, evaded a couple of tacklers and set the housewives faves on their way. Great hands from Dan Grant drew the final defender in and set Steve Wootton on his way to canter in from just outside the 22.
From setting one up he then turned to scoring. After some typically aggressive approach play including a Randy Orton style hand off 'out of nowhere' from Welshy, Dan Grant weighed up the options of either going left or right but ultimately chose to go right through his opposite number to score.
In the meantime however, the Gannets suffered the devastating blow of losing Mayhem Sr to what appeared to be stitch but what, allegedly was an injury to a long since forgotten and largely unused muscle under his ribs.And of course they substituted Mayhem Jr several times during the first half, just to be safe, you know.
The Gannets were soon back at it in the pi**ing rain early in the second, with their opponents wilting under the relentless battering of their line from Jamie Feighery, big H and Ralph, moving with the speed and grace of a tipper truck with 3 flat tyres, it was the Vidler that finally finished the move, injuring his tackler in the process and therefore planting the seeds that this game might be done early.
That was until Sam 'chubby Novak' Holden took to the field for the oppo...and his first contribution was immense. With Jamie fielding the kick and tearing through the defence like a runaway bin lorry in Glasgow City Centre, the two came face to face. Sam understandably thought '**** that, I've a family to support' and waved him through like a chubby matador minus the red rag. With Jamie finally being felled at the five and the defence, understandably at this point, absolutely shattered, it was Vid that took the ball on and completed his brace.
The final score of the day belonged, deservedly to Jamie Feighery who capped off another barnstormer by being the last one to rise from the bottom of the pile after yet another Gees drive over the line. As stated earlier, Referee Dave Norman saw no sense in allowing the game to continue and called an early halt to proceedings.
Hard to call a Gannets man of the match as everyone played their part, with an all action, physical performance but Shutts just edged it from Dan Grant, following up last weeks performance with an even better one, with some hard running and great ball control in the wet conditions.
No doubt with the mood he's in, there'll be some more of that in the Shuttlewood boudoir tonight....
Should they turn up, it's Sheppey at home next week. Will Mayhem Sr recover from his stitch? Will Mayhem Jr break his record for most substitutions in a game? Will Ash Tester throw a more outrageous forward pass with the man wide open than the one he did today? Will Martin Taylor look at a barnet more longingly than the way he did at the TW 5 today? #hairgoals

Until next time....