The Battle of Dynamite finishes even.

Gravesend's youth team took on Gravesend's adult select team in an extra challenge match between thir respective games versus Dartford Valley Vipers.

There was certainly no holding back by either team as the crunching tackles and smashes came right from the start. It was the adults who drew first blood with a fast flowing move involving great pace from Jack Linden. The youths had no answer for the fast flowing hands and Steve Smithers in space on the wing evaded a late tackle to touch down for the early opening try. Linden converted to put the adults ahead.
The adults had further chances over the next ten minutes as the youths struggled to get out of their own half and make 'yardage' in to opposition territory. Linden could have scored again in the opposite corner after a bursting move but went out of touch just before placing the ball.
The youths started to gather more confidence and started to demonstrate the attacking style that enabled them to earlier put 50 points on Dartford. George Bowler and Max Owen combined well with soem scissors moves and an excellent side step in the chair from Cormac Maloney allowed himself to somehow get through four approaching tackling players to score right between the posst just before half time. Euan Huckle converted for the scores to be all level.

Ken Maloney, captain of the adults gathered his troops and the adults again started the second half well. Patrick Murray however on as sub for the youths placed a clever 'kick' over the oncoming defence and Huckle scored giving the youths an important lead after the angled conversion. The youths were now on top and would have scored again if it were not for Ruth Cubitt making two excellent tackles on the impressive Huckle within minutes of each other and then Rich Carver doing the same to Ben Hope and Bowler on the other wing. Certainly the youths were excellent in attack and only matched by the adults superb defence. With the youths holding on, the adults kept calm (particularly with the on field guidance of Nevil Hope who persisted to drive his team mates forward, invading oppostion territory) and perservered with ball in hand tactics to eventually deservedly get the try they so wanted through Linden who converted well from a difficult angle.
The final whistle came 90 seconds later and both squads were satisfied with the result whilst the crowd were pleased with the quality of entertsinling rugby on show.