1st XV 19 - 24 Blackheath

There had been a whisper that at stages during their loss to the Cornish cream of Launceston in last week's home defeat that the Blackheath pack had been more than a match for their visitors. And so it proved on Saturday, when for seemingly interminable periods our pack was on the end of a rude awakening to the experience of our visitors' front row. They were more than a handful for us to cope with as witnessed by the two penalty tries we conceded. There can be little so down heartening for any pack...that is not to say that our defence throughout the game stood us proud within the five metre line. In the crowd, no doubt, you could have found a wizened selection of experienced forwards who would have advocated varying degrees of skulduggery to abate some of the uncomfortable and torrid moments that our pack absorbed.
When the ball reached our backs we showed why our reputation is held in such high esteem. The swivelling hips of Adam Billig and Ben Barkley so nearly opened up Blackheath's defence and but for desperate last ditch tackles, either Ollie Grove or Tom Hughes could have put the game beyond Blackheath's reach.
In the opening five minutes Blackheath had the upper hand but an infringement in front of their posts gave Ali Bresssington a straightforward three points followed by a certain try for Blackheath spoilt by a knock-on. The pressure continued and Duncan White in particular was there to relieve the pummelling, but the seemingly inevitable score came as a penalty try on 25 minutes. By now Jack Gilding had replaced Mark George at tight head prop for his debut. Back in open play Stour began their comeback and with speedy service stand -off Jon Higgins kicked into space for Ali Bressington to pick up a reverse bounce and carve through a wrong footed defence to touch down on the left wing, but narrowly missed the conversion to lead 8-7. Back came Blackheath and a penalty by fly half Matt Vaughan left us trailing 10-8 at the interval.
Ali Bress put us 11 10 up within 3 minutes and seconds later the try of the game came wide out on the left not from our fleet foot backs but from our bulldog turned saluki No.8 Duncan White, narrowly unconverted by Ali. 16-10 up with35 minutes to play. Some 5 minutes later we were awarded a penalty 52 metres and 18 and a half inches from the posts. Up steps 18 year old Ollie Grove to slot the marginally wind assisted 3 points. Was this to be the necessary 9 point comfort zone we needed? Sadly for us, and very positively for the opposition, we were then back under the cosh again incurring a second penalty try on 60 minutes after Simon Homer had replaced Ben Hughes and yet another debutant youngster Oliver Frost had replaced Tom Richardson. 19-17 with a slim two point cushion and 15 minutes to go.
Could we hold on? Could we withstand the pressure? Great covering tackles by particularly Tom Jordan and Ben Barkley kept "The Club" at bay? The impetus finally told when replacement centre Stephen Hamilton crashed through under the posts gratefully converted by fly half Matt Vaughan. Five minutes left for some frenetic Stour attacks but to no avail. Look out you Men of Kent or Kentish Men or whatever you are, you could well be on the end of a backlash.