Medway II 17 Old Gravesendians II 5
You would never have guessed that it was the first league game of the season as this fixture kicked off at a frantic pace under the commanding captaincy of Gary Friel. Right from kick off Medway made their plans of ‘run the ball from everywhere clear’ as Billy Humphreys caught the kick, ran around 3 of the opposition and passed it to the Tornado Thomas who ran the ball up to Old Gs 22 before he was brought down. The pace didn’t drop for the rest of the half and both teams were playing open running rugby but despite this neither side was finding the try line easily. Medway broke the dead lock when the ball was recycled quickly from a ruck and spun out to Russell Davies on the wing who easily out paced his marker and went over in the corner. Old Gs didn’t take too long to hit back with a similar score at the opposite end and that’s how it stayed for the rest of the half at 5 each.
The second half wasn’t so frantic and injuries were starting to occur. Medway lost Rob Longstaff at scrum half early on and with no positional replacement on the bench the multi-talented Gareth Webber stepped in from flanker. Medway started looking like the slightly better team and were putting pressure on OGs through the boot of the Tornado at fly half. Medway were enjoying a lot of territory and a mistake by the OGs full back saw him fumble a kick into the corner to give Medway a line out 5 metres out. Webber collected the line out ,with excellent control the pack set up a rolling maul right through the OGs pack and finished the phase with a well deserved touch down to give Medway a 10-5 lead. OGs battled back and were it not for some excellent defending from Medway they could easily have grabbed a few more tries but as it were Medway were the team to end the game on a high when substitute Andy Connell ripped the ball from the OGs prop and somehow managed to sprint the remaining 50 meters between him and the try line untouched to score with an over elaborate dive which nearly put him out for the rest of the season. Davies added the conversion for the extra 2.
Gareth Webber collected the Man of the match award for his excellent diversity however there were also some very good performances from 17 year old Simon Rumsey and from Billy Humphreys whose tackling and hard running haunted OGs all game. A promising campaign awaits!
Robertsbridge XV 37 Medway II XV 33
A cold damp morning, slivers of mist still hanging on to the far
corners of this foreign field. In the middle standing tall, proud under
the battle torn gold and red colours his fighting fifteen were honoured
to call their own Captain Friel rallied 
his tired troops for another assault
on the enemy’s lines. The big men moved forward towards their
objective putting their bodies on the ground before their comrades
they moved ever onwards towards their objective, slowly faltering under
the stout defence, they inched their way until the Welshman Gareth
Webber crossed the enemy line and grounded the ball.
Alas it was to be no fairy tale ending for this particular sorty by the Medway team. But a very exiting curtain raiser for those who played and watched this enthralling encounter before in the very best traditions of rugby they all retired to the bar to replace lost body fluid and watch the England –Wales 6 nation’s game.
Medway who never travel well started badly leaking several tries to a well organised large Roberts bridge side. Alas writing this in the relative quiet of the snug following an impressive start to the English assault on the six nations most of your correspondents best clichés have been used up taking the excess body fluids from his Welsh colleagues and everyone’s recollection of the days events have merged into one. Suffice to say everyone who took part in this fixture will look back on it with pleasure and as a reminder of why we all play rugby. Both teams played some good attacking rugby both will look at tightening up their defence .Medway will consider themselves unlucky not to have had a few minutes left at the end to perhaps of grabbed a final try to put them in front at the end. Medway scores included Gareth Webber, Geoff Kempt Simon Thomas. Nick Danson and Marish Shone.
Old Gravesendians II XV 7 Medway II XV 0
After last weeks high scoring (37-33) game this low score may seem dull . The game was however far from dull. The two teams were fairly evenly matched.
Old G`s had the advantage in the lineout and a heavier pack but Medway seemed to dominate the scrums after an initial settling down period. Medway spent most of the first half defending as the Old boys sent wave after wave of their big forwards on runs close to the breakdown. Retaining possession they were held at bay by some stout Medway defence that was breeched in the final minute of the first half when Medway eventually ran out of tacklers.
However in the best tradition of clichés it was a game of two halves and two differing styles. Medway starved of possession in the first half had most of the possession in the second . Where Old G`s used their forwards Medway tried to use their backs but on a very narrow Old Boys pitch Medway were never able to play the expansive open game that had brought them a handsome victory in the previous encounter between these two sides. The Old G`s to their credit defended well and on a couple of occasions held Medway fractions short of that elusive try.
The game was marred by the odd difference of opinion about how the ruck law should be interpreted but all in all Captain Friel should take heart from his fifteen who lived up to their name. The whole team played well, for the forward Big Deano again made some impressive tackles whilst the up and coming Moles Minor had a number of good runs that broke the gain line. If only his international commitments enable him to play in future weeks he should be a great asset to the side.
Medway II XV 7 Vigo II XV 7
Well they don’t get any closer. As I one wag was heard to say after the game another try each and they would have been level! An enthralling game for the hardy spectators who braved the inclement weather. For the players of both teams a good game to look back on from the relative calm of the clubhouse and the post match discussions. But a nerve racking game poised on the proverbial Knife edge up to the final whistle.
Vigo who held the edge in the scrummage department made the most of the slope and put the Medway scrummage on the back foot, a quick pick up from the base of the scrum and their number eight gleefully scampered 5 meters unopposed to touch down under the posts making the extra points a formality.
Medway looked like they were going to be on the wrong end of a high score. Vigo continued to dominate most phases of the game through their much heavier pack indeed it was a few moments after the 1st try that one of their forwards crossed the line again but he was tackled turned and well held up by a combination of Medway defenders notably Nick Desner. After that wake up call Medway began to show some of the determination and team spirit that has characterised their performances all year.
A few old Heads in the Medway team kept a steady supply of ball from the set pieces Hooker John Robson doing well in reverse and the return of veteran No 8 Dave Davis who was able to control the ball well at the base of a rapidly retreating scrum enabled them to mount some promising attacks of their own .A clever show of the ball and a burst of pace saw Outside half Robert (not Bobbie) Longstaff past his opposite No and in 25 meter dash for the line no one could catch him. He converted to level the scores just before Half time.
Although there was no score in the 2nd half both teams kept up the pressure and came close Vigo were camped in the Medway 22 for long periods of time , but the defence would not let itself be breeched a 2nd time. Some promising attacks from Medway failed to result in another score. Winger Peter Gunning almost scored with a clever chip and chase only to be tripped controversially just as he was about to gather the ball.
An enthralling game for both sets of fans Man of the match for Medway their point’s scorer Robert Longstaff for his all round attacking and defensive work. Skipper Friel will have some interesting selection decisions as players return from unavailability.