14 February 2009
With several first choice players missing and others playing injured and tired from a high-intensity midweek game for Kent, the Medway support were not expecting much from this game. In fact, what cost them the game in the end was poor decision-making and a lack of steam in the last 20 minutes. All the early pressure was from Medway, causing Westcombe Park to concede penalties. When Medway really needed to convert pressure into points, these opportunities were wasted with quick taps doomed to failure.
After ten minutes Westcombe Park finally broke out of their half and Medway conceded a penalty for killing the ball. Where Medway's smallest player, operating in some self-delusory dreamworld, would tap and go from a standing start in such situations, Westcombe Park more sensibly tapped and gave it to their biggest player arriving at speed. Not surprisingly, this method was much more successful and in fact Mr Large broke through two tackles and over the line. The conversion missed.
Westcombe Park enjoyed the best of the rest of the half, but apart from missing a kickable penalty, there was a lack of scoring chances and the game mainly served the purpose of ploughing up the field into a hopeless muddy goo.
Medway started the second half as well as they had started the first, putting pressure on and forcing errors from the Westcombe Park defence. Stewart Stockford, reluctantly kicking with an injured knee, missed a penalty, but another penalty gave the opportunity of moving the ball wide where Jamie Chapman was able to go in with two more men spare on the overlap. Stockford converted to give the home side the lead 7 - 5.
Brief hopes that Medway might go on to win didn't last long though as Westcombe Park dominated the rest of the game. Medway were unable to clear their lines, as kicks missed touch and came straight back, or players decided to try to run out of defence in what was not much better than a bog.
Westcombe Park's simple tactic of giving the ball to their biggest player and charging it into the defence finally came good again for a converted try. A penalty stretched the lead to 7 - 15. Medway were now extremely tired, having defended for most of the match, and the visitors were able to finish the game with the last play. Medway had kept possession without ever looking like getting out of their 22, until quick ball from an inevitable turnover allowed one of the visitors to surge through under the posts for a converted try. Final score 7 - 22.
