Medway 44 v 12 Chichester

On Saturday afternoon Chichester made the 175 mile round trip to north west Kent to play Medway. Blues made 8 changes to the side that lost at home to Horsham the previous week. Ben Deavall and Hamish Minton returned in the pack with Rhys Thompson, Matt McLagan, and Freddie Slater in the backs and Tom Bowman, Luke Kemish and Pat Bray, making his 1st XV debut, on the bench. With the playing surface in tip top condition, the match started in sunshine with a strong south westerly wing gusting down the pitch.

Chichester kicked off with the wind behind them. After 7 minutes, a break by the Medway fullback from halfway pierced the Blues’ defence and the ball was passed out for a try on the overlap out wide. Conversion missed. 5 - 0. Chichester’s response was immediate, winning the ball from the restart and moving it across the pitch in both directions as they advanced. With the Medway defence thwarting progress, Rhys Thompson chipped the ball over the defence with a cross field kick for Charlie Norton to run through and dot down under the posts. Converted by Norton. 5 - 7. For the next quarter of an hour Blues probed the Medway defence without finding a way through. On 26 minutes the hosts scored their second try with a series of pick and goes that created an overlap for a score in the corner. Conversion missed. 10 - 7. With the clock running down Chichester got within 10 metres of the try line on 3 occasions but were unable to penetrate the well marshalled Medway defence.

10 - 7 at half time and some concern amongst the home supporters.

With the wind strengthening, both teams were struggling to stamp their authority on the game. On 52 minutes, as the penalty count increased, the referee produced a yellow card reducing Medway to 14 players. 4 minutes later the hosts increased their lead with a long range penalty. 13 - 7. On the hour mark Chichester lost the ball 5 metres from the opposition try line and, with a wind assisted clearance, Medway had scored under the posts at the other end. Converted. 20 - 7. 5 minutes later they scored an unconverted try out wide. However, Blues dug deep and had the opposition under pressure from the restart, forcing a penalty which was kicked to the corner. Zac Conley soared high at the lineout to secure the ball and the forwards moved the ball forward, with a series of pick and goes, for Ben Deavall to dot down. Conversion missed. 20 - 12 with 9 minutes left. Medway crossed the whitewash 3 times before the referee blew his whistle for the end of the game.

Full time and 44 - 12. A deserved victory for Medway who are odds on favourites to secure the 3rd promotion spot in London 1 South this season. However, in very challenging conditions, the Chichester team played extremely well, made their hosts work hard, and were still in the game after 60 minutes. It is evident that the stop/start nature of the season, with 4 games in 9 weeks, hasn’t helped Blues cause.

The Chichester man of the match was Alex Margarson.

Chichester squad: Deavall, W. Norton, Woods, Conley, Wright, Minton, Wallace (Capt.), Makasi, MacDonald, Thompson, McLagan, Miller, Margarson, Slater, C. Norton, Bowman, Kemish and Bray.

On Saturday, Blues welcome Hammersmith and Fulham for their first visit to Oaklands Park. Kick off is at 14:30.