CRANBROOK DESERVEDLY GAIN LONG AWAITED VICTORY.
A dry day but cold and gloomy, mercifully without wind, welcomed the players and a smaller than usual number of spectators, some of whom may have chosen to watch the six nations game in the warmth of the clubhouse.
Charlton Park kicked off playing towards the clubhouse on a pitch improved from less rain this week, but still wet and claggy.
Early play was indeterminate but centre Charlie Fowler put in a big tackle that ended a Park attempt to put width on the ball.
Alex Segaert, this week playing at fly half put in a very fine and long penalty clearance that put Cranbrook on the attack, when Park went offside in midfield on the the 22 line, he comfortably opened the scoring with the penalty kick after 8 minutes.
Mistakes particularly from Park gave Cranbrook plentiful ball with Sacha Jovanovic doing particularly well at the lineout, but the backs did not really threaten enough, although Charlie Fowler did manage to intercept a Park back move to score comfortably after 15 minutes, Segaert converting. Park made ground by quickly taken tap penalties but their progress was undone when they were penalised for not pushing straight at a scrum, the best Cranbrook move enabled Steffan Jovanovic to make some ground, from the ruck Park went offside again presenting Segaert another penalty opportunity from wider out. The kick did not curl enough but struck the right post, whereupon Hamish Gillanders following up at speed was in the right place to take the ball on the bounce and score without challenge by the posts for 17-0 after 20 minutes.
Now Park had more field position and Cranbrook did well to hold up a forward as he attempted to ground the ball, and defended stoutly for several phases as they conceeded penalties and flankerJack Posey seemed to be the recipient of a team yellow card. Park eventually got over from close range to make a 17-7 half time score.
The second half was largely controlled by Cranbrook who perhaps did kick away too much possession, curiously the Park defenders called a mark in their own 22 on 6 occasions in the half, but Cranbrook retained field position and added a further penalty.
Some replacements took the field on both teams with Ronnie Posey taking over at scrum half, he distinguished himself with 2 very high and accurate box kicks, enabling on one of them the rampaging Gillanders to put the catcher down with a strong tackle. Park suffered 2 cards close together, the first of which enabled Segaert to add a third penalty, but in general Cranbrook did not take the opportunity to take the game by the scruff of the neck against a 13 man opposition.
As Park returned to a full complement they to their credit came back strongly. Cranbrook again resisted tryline pressure for a good while but conceeded on 28 minutes, back came Park and a knock on denied them a futher try, but Cranbrook were now short handed for the remainder of the game as the prop Jason Bushell was carded. He had a strong game though. They were again in position when another scrum offence gave Cranbrook the chance to clear to touch and the ref to call fulltime, a moment that was joyously celebrated.
An interesting match, but the cold conditions would have had some bearing on a match that rarely had much quality, nevertheless a deserved and welcome win.
The team was 1 T Humphreys, 2 J Brambley, 3 J Bushell, 4 Sacha Jovanovic, 5 J Lamb, 6 J Posey, 7 H Gillanders Capt, 8 C Tomlin, 9 O Wookey, 10 A Segaert, 11 Steffan Jovanovic, 12 A Cornwallis, 13 C Fowler, 14 J Thornton, 15 R O'Keefe.
Replacements R Posey for O Wookey 40 mins, J Fowler for Brambley 55 mins, J Saunders for Tomlin 60 mins, Tomlin for J Lamb 75mins.
The Biddenden Vineyard player of the match was Hamish Gillanders, who as always led from the front, scoring an opportunist try.
Next Sat the team are away to Bromley at 1400.