East Grinstead III 5 Cinque Ports 10 (HT 0-10)

Sport hangs on individual seconds of brilliance or individual mistakes, 20 minutes into the first half a loose pass from a East Grinstead player fell into the hands of Czech flyer Robbie Fink. Fink blasted his way from the Ports 22 before the East Grinstead defence could organise themselves, the pacy East Grinstead side caught up with Fink in their own half. The young centre stepped inside two defenders before applying a final burst of pace. After running 75 metres Fink touched down, a moment of brilliance punishing one solitary mistake. Carl Malthouse converted.
This put Cinque Ports 10-0 up, as Malthouse had already drilled home a 30 metre penalty in the opening minutes after the home side failed to release on the floor. Cinque Ports have been potent as an attacking force all season, but they also demonstrated their power as a defensive side. East Grinstead had much greater possession and used their pace and a powerful 10-12 combination, but each wave was stopped by a solid red line. Dale Whittington and Mark Wright particularly halting the creative players on numerous occasions, both also securing loose ball.


The game was not an advert for running rugby, East Grinstead did not utilise their pace effectively and Cinque Ports grizzled pack slowed the ball down preventing the home team's half backs from releasing their outside backs. When Cinque Ports did attack it was through powerful rolling mauls, and line outs after an effective kicking game from Malthouse and captain Terry Doorey. Doorey organised the defensive line in the second half as East Grinstead raised their game, but the Cinque Ports defence still held solid, driving the home side into touch or winning opposition ball at rucks. A bruising physical encounter eventually saw East Grinstead cross the line with ten minutes to go, Cinque Ports were determined not to let the game slip away and with steely resolve spent the rest of the game in East Grinstead's half, even allowing Malthouse a chance to secure the game with a difficult penalty which was just missed.

At the final whistle a beaming coach Bill Langley said "I'm happy for the lads they have worked so hard for this and have got the reward. Now we have to carry this forward. We have shown we can win and with the same hard work and determination I'm sure we will win more matches and put Cinque Ports firmly on the map as a serious challenge to other teams in our league."

Whittington was named man of the match.

Cinque Ports Team: Amar, Wright, Butcher, Parker, Gough, Thomas, Whittington, Swift, Eastwood, Malthouse, Watts, Whyte, Fink, Potter, Doorey