6 January 2008
Having lost by only three tries in the wind, rain and mud last month, Maidstone were keen to have another go at Medway. With a full squad this time, they came with a plan: keep it tight, play for territory, and try to dominate with their heavy pack of forwards, thus exploiting what they thought was Medway's weakness.
Unfortunately for Maidstone, the home pack met the challenge full square in the set-pieces, and as always when the Medway forwards get the ball in the open they might just as well be backs. Maidstone defended and tackled well, but the speed, handling and support play from Medway brought tries at regular intervals, three in each half, though sadly all unconverted.
In the early exchanges Maidstone's generally admirable commitment and aggression became ill-disciplined in one or two cases, but it seemed to disrupt their own side's rhythm more than the home team. Medway prefer to play rugby, and after seven minutes they scored their first try with a beautifully fluid attack.
Ryan scores from one yard out
Starting with scrum-half Ryan Ellis at the base of a ruck in their own 22, the ball passed through ten players' hands before it crossed the line 70 metres away. A miss pass from James Davies to Aman Gill was slipped back inside to Stewart Stockford who broke the defensive line and made 30 metres. He offloaded to flanker Aaron Dimmick who in turn found fullback Jonathan Saddington joining on the overlap. Caught 15 metres from the line, Saddington kept the ball alive and the move was finished by the forwards. Paul Pierce picked the ball off his toes, took it on and set up a ruck, and Joe Jelfs and Sam Levitt took it to within five metres. Finally it was tighthead prop George Dyer, a blur as he galloped up the wing, who crashed over the line for his first try of the season.
Five minutes later and the backs ran in another after a lineout ten metres from Maidstone's line. A switch in the centre wrong-footed the defence momentarily, and wing Jamie Chapman timed his pass perfectly for Saddington to score as he made the extra man on the overlap.
Another ten minutes and the third try came, this time down the right, and again from deep in Medway territory. Pouncing on a loose ball, the backs swung the ball rapidly down the line. When the wing, Tom Bourne, was stopped on the Maidstone 22, the ball was recycled quickly and Joe Jelfs popped the ball up to Billy James on the charge. He made ten metres before being hauled down, but again the ball was popped off the ground and scrum-half Ryan Ellis took the ball high above his head (about three and a half feet) and dived over the line for his first try of the season.
Maidstone enjoyed their best period of the match after the half-time break. They stuck to their guns and probably had the better of the territory, occasionally threatening the home side's goal line. When Medway got into the Maidstone half, on the other hand, the home side gave away a rash of penalties for offside and other misdemeanours at the ruck. The visitors stuck gamely, if somewhat rigidly, to their plan of kicking for territory and relying on their lineout, but they never achieved the domination up-front that they needed.
Medway were happy to contain Maidstone's pack and then counter-attack at pace from deep, and the next two tries were fine examples.
Look no hands.
Jig does his Ronaldo impression.
A long clearance kick from Simon Brooks landed in the Maidstone half and the bounce was awkward for the fullback. Speedster Jamie Chapman chased down the kick, used his thigh to knock the ball past the defender and then dribbled it using both feet at top speed for 30 metres before picking up two metres out and dropping over the line. "Fly-hacking" is too crude a term for it: considering the shape of the ball, it was a sublime display of footballing skill.
Ten minutes later Medway were back in their own 22 again and for once their handling skills let them down as the ball was thrown around by the backs. But Simon Brooks dropped on the loose ball, rose rapidly to his feet and darted through two tackles. He made 30 metres and drew the fullback before passing to Saddington who again was supporting on the outside and ran in for his second try of the day.
Jon avoids the last defender
for his second try
Maidstone came back again, desperate to score against Medway for the first time in three matches. But a handling error at one crucial moment and Medway's mean defence prevented it, and eventually the home forwards showed their running and passing skills.
Aloose ball was won by Dyer and then Richard Petch broke from half way and offloaded to Mitch Dalton, who carried for 20 metres. The ball was kept alive and another carry from Petch found loosehead James in support, who wriggled and blustered his way to the line. It was especially satisfying for the pack that two Medway props got on the scoresheet.
On another day Jonathan Saddington would be man-of-the-match for his tries and intelligent running, but this time it has to go to Richard Petch. He covered every inch of ground, was always in support and in the thick of every ruck and maul, tackled strongly, recovered loose ball and generally worked tirelessly for the team - a mountainous performance.
