The battle between the teams placed in 2nd and 4th started with Gravesend on top, their forwards earned penalties on 2mins and 8mins which were both ablely converted by No.9 Michele Zanirato and it looked like it was going to be a long afternoon for Sidcup at 6-0. However, the game ebbed and flowed for the next half an hour with chances few and far between and two of the strongest defences in the division on top.

With half time almost upon us, Sidcup gained a penalty of their own and fly half George Montgomery halved the Gravesend lead to 6-3, the whistle went and the (three!) Sidcup physios worked valiantly to patch up the huge head wound suffered to centre Callum Thomson. Coming off not being in Thomson's make up, he took his place as the second period began.

Gravesend again started the half well and their No.10 spotting a potential overlap kicked to try and find his waiting winger, only for the kick to curl and go loose for Sidcup's Ashton Dean to pick up and run in the length of the field to score unopposed against the run of play. Montgomery kicked the easy extras and Sidcup led for the first time 10-6 with 45mins played.

The next 25mins saw a something of a "war of attrition" as both teams slugged it out, Sidcup holding on to their advantage with their scrummage working well and their back row, including the returning Jon West at No.8, gaining stand out praise from the opposition.

70mins gone and with Gravesend's introduction of Sox Stevens into their pack saw the hosts find just that little bit extra to finish the game. Another penalty by Zanirato cut the lead to a single point and just as it seemed that Sidcup would hang on another chance was given to him to surely snatch the victory away. His kick from 40m on the angle was struck perfectly under pressure and it was the Gravesend fans that celebrated, final score 12-10.

Both teams played extremely well and must surely respect each other. In a game of that intensity, it was a testament that no cards were deemed necessary. Sidcup played a lot of the game without the ball but their defensive qualities shone through, stopping an opposition of that quality from crossing the whitewash and they will win a lot of matches with this level of performance.

Team: Anderson (Page), Duffus, Carmen, Lowe (Cooper), Dutton, Elliott, S Evans - capt, West, Cutler, Montgomery, Day, Thomson (Woollard), Ibrahim, Dean, Hardy.

Otto - 16 Jan 14

Sidcup Rugby Football Club

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