Last Minute Penalty Agony for Cinque Ports Rugby

Crowborough III 25 Cinque Ports 24 (HT 22-3)

Crowborough III 25 Cinque Ports 24 (HT 22-3)
For a second week in succession a poor first half led to a superb second half fight back, but this week for Cinque Ports the margin of defeat was even smaller. In what is always a fiercely fought battle both sides started with intensity. Crowborough as expected utilised the big boot of their stand-off, but the kicks quickly dried up when it became apparent that every howitzer volley would be returned with interest by dangerous full back Ross Kearney. Kearney linked well with Paul Smart early on too, testing a well organised Crowborough defence. The hosts seemed to up their game a little, and indiscipline saw the Crows near the line which allowed their bustling Open Side to crash over. CPR came straight back at Crowborough, brave running by Simon Bailie and testing kicks by Smart and Kearney eventually saw the hosts penalised. Smart punished them with a penalty. Good defence for both sides seemed to be the order of the day. Carl Malthouse performing good work at the breakdown, like a jackal picking at the scraps and winning more than his fair share of turnover ball. Despite his good work and some shuddering hits by Chris Perry and Kim Wan, the Crows slotted a drop goal and quickly followed with two tries. At half time despite some sterling work, especially in the backs the Ports saw a yawning gap between them and Crowborough.

The second half saw them quickly eating up this gap, good forwards work almost saw Craig Barningham crash over from a quickly worked line out. In broken play Cinque Ports were also dangerous, hulking second row Wan played against type to run the ball up straight and pass before contact. He found Luke Price who scythed through a gap and released Chris Eastwood. The jinking scrum half rounded the defence with a phalanx of support outside him before dotting down under the posts. Smart drilled the conversion. The score seemed to raise Cinque Ports spirits. Smart and Eastwood tormenting their opposite numbers, Bailie bouncing back from numerous big hits to jink and twist and Kearney a constantly dangerous presence. Crowborough found some rare territory hoping to tie CPR in their 22, but Eastwood was again important for his side. A clever off-load found surging prop Rob Tritton. Despite a good tackle the front row man slipped another off-load, replacement Gavin Thomas was on hand to take a few steps before launching a big pass that bounced it's way to Bailie. The Scottish flyer found the space to tear through the defence and eventually ambled over to score with Thomas in support. Smart was on hand to convert again. With the game slipping away Crowborough picked up the intensity, and Cinque Ports indiscipline found them near the line. The hosts were jubilant when they thought they had scored with a blind side rumble but the ref did not see the ball grounded. From the resulting scrummage Cinque Ports again found space, the ball worked well through the line before Kearney joined the line at pace. The Irishman found no defender able to live with his pace and Smart's subsequent conversion put the visitors 24-22 up. With the seconds slipping away indiscipline again showed its ugly head. An offence at the ruck gave the Crows a penalty opportunity that was spurned, and despite the opportunity to clear the lines another offence led to a penalty. This golden chance was not given away and the hosts grabbed the lead back. Despite one thrust CPR could not break the line and Crowborough snatched the win.

Team Manager Gavin Thomas reflected on what could have been "We gave them far too much respect in the first half, and too much possession. This allowed them to build up a big lead. We showed immense spirit though to fight back, and the way in which we lost was heart breaking. That said we can only be proud of our effort and our creativity throughout the team. Both sides wanted to play rugby and that contributed to a great game"

Simon Bailie was named man of the match for his hard running performance. Head Coach Bill Langley describing him as a "real dynamo" . Bailie's performance was ably supported by Smart pulling the strings and Kearney providing a real attacking force.

Team: Giles, Langley (Wright), Tritton, Wan, Pantry-Meyer (Thomas), Dedman, Malthouse, Barningham, Eastwood, Smart, Chambers (Young), Perry, Price, Bailie (Fink), Kearney