18 March 2007
The Medway U15s confirmed their place as one of the top three or four sides in the county at the Kent Youth Festival of Rugby, but the day was ultimately disappointing after the team lost narrowly in the semi-final.
The day started well with two convincing victories in the pool matches. With games of only 10 minutes each way it was important to get off to a fast start. In the first match Beccehamians were seen off 24 - 3 with the result never in doubt after Jamie Chapman scored in the second minute. A pick and go by Gavin Hyder accounted for the second before Beccehamians slotted a penalty. Second half tries by Joe Jelfs and Richard Verrall completed the scoring.
In the second match Old Alleynians were missing seven players on the day and were never in the game. Medway managed three tries in each half shared between Chapman (3), Verrall (2) and Stewart Stockford and the final score was 38 - 0.
Topping their pool, Medway were through to meet the home side Dartfordians in the quarter-final of the cup competition. Dartfordians barely penetrated Medway territory during the game, and yet despite the intense pressure maintained by Medway they found it difficult to score against a determined Darts defence. The first half ended 0 - 0, but with a strong wind and a slight slope in their favour Medway scored through Verrall after four minutes of the second half. A puzzling and frustrating period followed as Medway forced the ball over the Darts line six times in six minutes but the referee judged every one to be held up - a sequence that defied the laws of probability and might possibly be a world record. Medway had to be content with a final score of 5 - 0.
So to the semi-final and another meeting with bogey side Old Elthamians, the only team to have beaten Medway every year of the last three, and they did it again in this match. Having the advantage of the slope and wind in the first half, Old Elts were able to get in front through the big left winger who had done such damage in the full game earlier in the season.
Medway put pressure on in the second half and after a series of rucks near the opposition goal line forced a panicky kick from the in-goal that was fielded by Chapman. Another ruck was set up right on the line and Richard Petch was able to ground the ball in sight of the referee to tie the scores.
The glimmer of hope was shortlived though, as within two minutes the Old Elts left wing once more ran round the Medway defence to score in the corner. Despite every effort, Medway were unable retrieve the game a second time and went down 10 - 5.
