Medway 20 v 10 Chichester

After a week off, Saturday saw Chichester back on the road for the long trip to Rochester to play Medway. Blues made 7 changes to the side that beat Cobham last time out. Tyrese Makasi, Joe Knight and Ben Polhill came into the pack, Gareth Davies and Liam Rowland returned in the backs with Josh Cameron and Baz Magda on the bench.

Priestfields is one of the best spectator grounds in London 1 South and, after the inclement weather of recent weeks, the Medway groundsman should be congratulated for the immaculately prepared pitch.

Chichester started the game with a kick to the Medway 22 metre line. The ball popped out of the ruck and Ben Polhill was quickest to react driving forward another 15 metres before being held. Harry Seaman recycled the ball quickly at the breakdown and it passed through the hands of Charlie Wallace, Gareth Davies and Shaun Baker before being gathered one handed by Ben Robson who crossed the line and dotted down with only 30 seconds on the clock. Converted by Baker. 0 - 7. From the restart Blues carried the ball into touch and then conceded a penalty from the subsequent lineout, within easy kicking distance. 3 - 7 and 3 minutes played. For the next 35 minutes both teams ran the ball at every opportunity as play moved up and down the pitch. The defensive effort from both teams was immense and several try scoring opportunities were missed when final passes were knocked on or went astray. With 2 minutes left of the first half Chichester conceded a penalty 25 metres out. The Medway scrum half took the tap penalty and caught Blues’ defence napping to score a simple try. Converted. 10 - 7.

Half time and Chichester still very much in the match!

The first 11 minutes of the second half were played exclusively in the Chichester half with Medway applying the pressure and Blues unable to cross the halfway line. The home side finally got their breakthrough when the ball was played from the back of a driving maul and out across the backs to the winger, who stepped his tackler to dot down in the corner. Converted from the touchline. 17 - 7. The response from Chichester was instant, with a clever grubber kick from Matt McLagan giving Blues a lineout on the opposition 22 metre line. After several phases of play Medway conceded a penalty in front of the posts, which Baker kicked. 17 - 10 with 25 minutes to play. Another grubber kick, this time from Gareth Davies, was touched down by Medway and from the resulting 5 metre scrum Blues went through several phases close to the try line but couldn’t cross the whitewash. Medway’s next attack was stopped illegally 5 metres out in front of the posts, for a simple kick and 3 points. 20 - 10 with 65 minutes on the clock. Once again Chichester responded and looked the team most likely to score as they spent over 10 minutes in the opposition half looking for an opening. Blues were now dominant in the scrum and runs from Ben Polhill, Sam Drayson and Davies made significant territorial gains but the well drilled Medway defence held firm. With only 2 minutes left an infringement at the breakdown provided Chichester with a penalty 25 metres out but the kick was pushed just wide. 20 - 10 and full time.

Blues will have left Kent on Saturday evening disappointed that they didn’t get something out of a very close and entertaining game of rugby. It was one of their best team performances of the season with some great defensive work against a side likely to be in the promotion mix at the end of the season.

Chichester drop to 8th place in the table.

Supporter’s man of the match was Gareth Davies.

Chichester squad: Drayson, Makasi, Woods, Lindsay, Knight, B. Polhill, Wallace (Capt.), Johnson, Seaman, Davies, McLagan, Baker, Robson, Rowland, Trodd, Cameron, Magda and Spriggs.

Next week (Saturday, 16th of November) Chichester entertain Dartfordians at Oaklands Park. Kick-off is at 14:30