3rd XV
Matches
Sat 15 Dec 2018  ·  Five Grain Division 4 West
Gravesend RFC
3rd XV
Tries: G Curran
7
5
Canterbury IV
Marc Lloyd wins man of the match...

Marc Lloyd wins man of the match...

Matt Clarke15 Dec 2018 - 18:48
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..and Steve Wootton is dick of the day? What parallel universe are we living in??

To be fair though,Lloydy deserved it and if anyone from the second team is reading this then hands off! You've stolen enough Gannets talent.
And Sargey.
A try saving tackle in the corner in the first half was perhaps his major contribution but he also found time to channel his inner Lithuanian with a 'kick ball chase' downfield..the kick itself was horrific (but still better than Sam Holden's appalling attempt) but the rugby gods were shining down on him and the bounce was kind.
As for the rest of the match,it was an altogether different but nonetheless,resilient Canterbury side that the housewives faves came up against on the banana in quite frankly,horrendous conditions.
The Gannets made tough work of the opening half hour or so,giving away penalties at will,as is the Gannets way,but the tackling was good and they eventually made headway up the hill and into the Canterbury 22.It was then that Steve Wootton completed the first phase of his DOTD nomination by spilling a pass forward and into the hands of the oppo wing who cantered (intended) towards and under the posts despite the best efforts of Lloydy Halfpenny.
So at 7-5 down the Gannets finally mustered together some sort of gameplan and afforded Jamie Feighery some open space to run into,something which doesn't usually end well for the oppo..and this case was no different.He fed Welshy on the wing who made good ground before an over the top pass back to Jamie who in turn fed Gary 'no longer living in a caravan' Curran to cross the line.
Dan Grants conversion was just wide but no matter,it was the end of the half and the Gannets would surely turn the screw heading down the hill in the second period.Not even a classic Mayhem dropped ball would dent their confidence!
Although to be fair,when your hands are taped up like someone with third degree burns,he done well catching anything at all.

The second half saw wave after wave of Gannets attacks on the line only to be thwarted by usual chestnuts of penalties for offside and chirping the ref and the final nail in Steve Woottons DOTD coffin.It was true that Gannets had a massive overlap on the left and it was easier to score than not,but Martin Taylor bigging up the pass he spun out to the Prince of Pontardawe was well over the top and got more ridiculous with each new person he told.He passed the ball,Steve dropped it and Welshy proclaimed that he was an embarrassment to Welshmen everywhere...surely Mayhem has some Welsh in him?
Unfortunately,with the Gannets turning the screw an injury to the Canterbury hooker left him unable to continue and the visiting captain elected to award the game to Gravesend rather than play the final 20 uncontested with 14 men.It was a decision applauded by everyone involved as they legged it to the warmth of the showers leaving Dan Grant and the injured player out in the pissing rain.Say what you want about Dan but he makes a damn fine shelter.

So that's it for 2018 and with the first defeat of the season avenged,it's time to avenge another on January 5th as the Gannets visit Aylesford and remember,however big your Xmas turkey is,it will never be bigger than the turkey that is a Sam Holden downfield kick.

Until next year,,,,

Match details

Match date

Sat 15 Dec 2018

Kickoff

14:00

Competition

Five Grain Division 4 West

League position

6
Gravesend IV
9
Canterbury IV
Team overview
Further reading

Team Sponsors

Club sponsor - Kuflink
Club sponsor - HARLEX
Club sponsor - Hooper & Sons
Club sponsor - Chalk Plumbing
Club sponsor - M&S Resins
Club sponsor - Greene King
Club sponsor - Quilter