Gravesend 6 Bishop's Stortford 1st XV 21

Playing with a strong wind in the first half, Stortford were disappointed to reach the break on only level terms, having had the better of an error-strewn 40 minutes. All each side had to show for a lot of effort was a penalty from their stand-in stand-offs - Dave Dorton moving from fullback for the home side and Marcus Cattell stepping in from number 12 for Stortford.

An important carry-over into the second half, however, was the yellow carding of Gravesend's skipper and prop, Jamie Forsyth just before the break, when the referee lost patience with a sequence of penalties conceded by the home side close to their own line, as Stortford pressed to break the deadlock. This helped the visitors to deprive the home side of the early possession needed to exploit the wind to dominate territory, as would clearly have been their objective. Instead, Stortford were able to exert early pressure and, after livewire scrumhalf, Tom Banks had been held up over the line having taking a quick penalty from five metres out, Cattell took the three points on offer from another penalty under the posts, when home defenders were caught offside at one of a series of further rucks close to their line. Even when the Gravesend skipper returned, however, Stortford retained the upper hand. It was against the run of play, therefore, when Dorton levelled the scores a quarter of an hour into the half with a penalty from close to halfway, when Stortford were in turn caught offside at a breakdown. The visitors continued to play most of the attacking rugby, with fullback, Jimmy Rea particularly threatening whenever in possession, but with excellent support from the whole side in which Banks, flanker, Richard Gill and centre, Nick Harris were prominent. After 25 minutes Gill's industry was rewarded with a try out wide on the right, picking up an inside pass close to the line from impressive young winger, Simon Wasley, who had been given space by Harris after an incisive break by Rea. Six minutes later it was prop, Richard McMillan who was set up again by Wasley to touch down in almost the identical spot. This time it was centre, Ben de Grandis who created the position after seizing on a loose ball in midfield. The victory was sealed on 35 minutes when Harris intercepted a long Gravesend pass on their own 22 line and burst over for another unconverted try, as the increasingly desparate home side tried to play catch-up .

While this morale boosting win was secured by a revived backline, which on the day showed few weaknesses, it was built upon a platform established by a determined pack of forwards, who held their own against a very strong home eight in the scrums and won consistently good ball at the lineouts. They also won a number of crucial turnovers at breakdowns, particularly at second and third phases, where Stortford were ready to commit greater numbers. All in all, then a tremendous team performance with welcome returns from injury for Joe Clarke and Dave Aldam; and Tom McCraith and Maehe Austin again making a big impact in their second games back. Well done to all eighteen players in restoring pride to the blue and white after a poor run!