As you know yesterday many of us made the relatively long trek down to Cranbrook - with its almost as long walk from the college car park. However it was well worth the journey as our boys turned in their best festival results in recent seasons (not that I'm being competitive and pleased at winning you understand!)

First up was Medway who we had played last week and lost a narrow 2-3 after getting out of the traps slowly. This was another keenly contested affair which was a defensive arm wrestle for 9 minutes. However with a minute to go we remembered we can play open passing rugby too and carved through to score in the corner. Then with the last play of the game with Medway chins dropping we repeated the trick for a 2-0 win.

Next we played Whitstable who to be fair had the look of a true development side with a few big but inexperienced players. We played really well and won quite comfortably 7-1.

Onto Maidstone which would prove our toughest game if the day. Early on it was fairly even and indeed in one occasion a great try saving tackle was needed from Luke to keep us level. Second half we battered them and camped near their line the whole half. We allowed our frustration to get the better of us and abandoned our passing game trying instead to crash over. Gabriel did manage it once but the ref was unsighted and it wasn't given. If it was a boxing match I think the ref would have stopped it but fair play to Maidstone they defended brilliantly and therefore just about deserved their 0-0 draw.

Onto Tonbridge Wells and a team who we lost to a couple of times last season. No chance this time as our confidence really began to flow and our much improved rucking and ball retention meant we ran out 4-1 winners.

Similar story in our last game vs. TJs. After being denied an early score for a not very obvious hand off and then conceding a try to a move with a much more blatant one, we were momentarily distracted. However we quickly got our game heads back on and were on the front foot from then on to complete a great days play 6-1

So on the day that was 19 tries scored and only 3 conceded across 5 matches, P5 W4 D1 L0 - a great effort.

I could call out so many players for praise including Triple J of josh, Jack and John who all provided great attacking impetus and popped up with important tries but I want to single out a few for special mention:

- Jay and Kai really showed improved awareness and ball handling in the centre of the park and were solid in defence

- Gabriel is becoming a real menace at the breakdown stealing ball and at his dads request is becoming a bit less nice !

- Draven has a great shimmy and showed great acceleration to score important tries at key moments

- My man of the day, a tackling machine and hard attacking runner was Luke - all the more impressive as he spends half the time getting his fringe out of his eyes !!

Well played to all of you - it was a pleasure as your coach to see things coming to fruition, we seem to have struck a balance between strong defence and quick varied attack and I'm sure parents were all v proud and impressed at the rugby on show !!

Top of the group for a 2nd week in a row - shame there was no silverware this time but each player did get a well earned medal.

See you all next week

#YAMS !!

Stu