OGs vs Cranbrook - 05th October 2013

A tough, physical game with Cranes forcing the winning try with five minutes remaining.

 

Opening up the slope Cranes quickly took the game to OGs with stand off Chris Catt directing his backs to great effect. Ten minutes in, full back Caspian Paget grabbed the ball on the half way line, cut through the OG defence as if they had taken root, then slipped the ball to Sam Depoel-Wood who completed the remaining five metres to the posts. Catt added the points, 

0 – 7. OGs naturally took full advantage of local conditions and used the sloping pitch well. Long kicks to touch and high hanging restarts were key elements to their game. The drop kick after the opening try was typical. Cranes were caught in possession from a well supported restart with the resulting penalty virtually under the posts, 3 – 7. Catt added a penalty for Cranes before Gravesendians again kicked a long penalty deep in to the visitors 22. The Ref spotted an infringement in the ensuing line out. Cranbrook were slow to react to a quickly taken tap penalty and OGs were in under the posts. Half time 

10 – 10.

 

Cranbrook expected the combination of superior backs and the slope in their favour to pay dividends in the second period. This expectation was quickly dashed when after five minutes a clash of heads forced Cranes two talented centres Tom Johnson and Sam Depoel-Wood to leave the field. The Cranbrook forwards now stepped up to the plate, heaving OGs back in the set scrums and working the ball well from the base of the maul. Wing Ben Hoekstra went over in the left corner from thirty metres. No conversion, 10 – 15. Old Gravesendians did not give in, and somewhat against the run of play, forced a breakaway try up the left wing, somewhat assisted by two Cranbrook defenders taking themselves out instead of the opponent. The try was under the posts, the conversion a formality, 17 – 15. With seven minutes to go, groans from the crowd when a kickable Cranbrook penalty was run. The run was halted but a series of forward thrusts on the OG line were eventually rewarded when prop Sam Bolger was awarded the winning score. 17-20

 

Match report by Mike McMinnies