8 October 2006
In a fast, pulsating and uncompromising encounter Medway took on the current Kent champions and beat them convincingly -- the first time this Blackheath side had lost to any team in a full game since they began at under-7 level. This was a hard-fought, bruising match, but played in good spirit by both sides with high skill levels on display.
The match began as expected, with Blackheath piling on pressure through their forwards and Medway with their backs to the wall in their own 22. In the third minute the home side went over in the corner, but their man had a foot in touch.
Tom provides the perfect start
From the lineout a ruck developed and the ball was won by Richard Verrall. Tom Barnes took it on and and then quick hands from Aaron Dimmick fed the ball to Tom Bourne on the wing. With Blackheath's defence caught static, Tom sprinted 70 metres to go under the posts and Stockford converted.
Medway had the early score they wanted, but Blackheath came back strongly. For 10 minutes they used their big forwards to drive into the defensive line, and every Medway defender put in big tackles to keep them out.
Then Medway dealt the home side a double blow. A clearance kick by Stewart failed to reach touch, but winger Jamie Chapman managed to win the bouncing ball and popped the ball to Richard V from off the ground.
Definitely over the line from Richard
Richard thundered down the wing for the try line, but it was a long way off. Caught and tackled five meteres out by one of the faster Blackheath backs, momentum took him within arm's reach of his target and he touched down on the goal line with no more than his fingertips.
The referee was a long way behind play but after a tense pause he correctly awarded the try to the cheers of the Medway support.
Gavin charges upfield for the third
Skipper Gavin Hyder captured the re-start kick and immediately swerved round the Blackheath defensive line. He rode a tackle, and suddenly was clear and racing for the line, diving over without further opposition.Medway were 17 points up, and belief in themselves ran visibly through the team.
Blackheath are not champions by accident though. Again they came back and finally their possession and pressure told and Medway's defence was breached in the corner. A superb conversion from near the touchline made the score 7 - 17 at half time.
In the second half Medway more than held their own. With the gentle slope in their favour they were able to control possession more reliably. The pack, with Richard Petch and Ian Findlay to the fore, played its best game for a long while.
Vezza gets his second and Medway's fourth
The home side were constantly pressured by the back row of Tom Barnes, Joe Jelfs and Gavin Hyder and the fierce but controlled tackling of Richard Verrall and Stewart Stockford in the centre forced Blackheath into handling errors when they had the ball.
Ten minutes into the half a penalty in front of the posts gave Richard Verrall the chance to take some points from a period of sustained territorial advantage, and he calmly slotted it to increase the lead to 7 - 20.
Back again came Blackheath and a series of rucks and mauls and driving forward play saw them gain another unconverted try to cut the lead to eight.
Jig intercepts, and the Blackheath coach
turns away with his head in his hands, but
Bob looks happy
This time, though, Medway were not to be denied. Five minutes from the end a well-worked switch behind the scrum between Stew and Rich wrong-footed the Blackheath defence for a split second, and Richard wove his way through the remaining defenders to go under the posts. Stewart converted.
Then Jamie Chapman got his reward for some superb positioning on the left wing. Seemingly outnumbered three to one by a Blackheath overlap he anticipated the pass, intercepted it, and used his scorching pace to run in under the posts from long range. Stewart again converted to stretch the lead to 22 points at 12 - 34.
Two minutes later the final whistle blew and a roar of delight from the Medway team greeted this sweetest of victories.
