Frantic start sets the tone
MAIDSTONE CHISWICK
Matt Iles scored on his 100th start as Maidstone and Chiswick served up an 11-try treat on Saturday.
Four of the tries came in the first 10 minutes – two for each side – while Maidstone had a bonus point by the end of the opening quarter and finished with seven touchdowns.
Victory moved them up a place to eighth in London 1 South, with games against teams above them to come.
Chiswick, hovering just above the drop zone, have shown over recent years they like to play through a strong pack.
They were true to type but with Maidstone more than matching them, it was the difference in the backs that settled the game.
Right-wing Sam Pearson claimed two tries and the man-of-the-match award while recent recruit Shaun Woolford showed power and pace on the left. Chiswick led from their first
PW D L F A Ps Sidcup .......... 19 18 1 0 706 252 90 Havant .......... 19 15 1 3 737 347 78 Tun Wells...... 19 15 0 4 531 285 73 Tottonians..... 19 12 0 7 596 425 64 Cobham ........ 19 11 0 8 538 426 58 CS Rugby ...... 19 11 0 8 497 388 52 Sevenoaks .... 19 10 0 9 455 415 52 Maidstone..... 19 10 0 9 474 418 51 Gravesend .... 19 10 0 9 490 421 49 Chobham ...... 19 8 1 10 430 390 43 Chiswick ....... 19 5 1 13 352 521 21 Brighton........ 19 3 0 16 292 515 21 Dover............ 19 2 0 17 239 799 11 Gosport & F... 19 1 0 18 169 904 5 Results: Brighton 22 Chobham 17, Gosport & Fareham 18 Cobham 39, Maidstone 43 Chiswick 26, Sevenoaks 31 Gravesend 24, Sidcup 35 Dover 12, Tottonians 34 Havant 29, Tunbridge Wells 34 CS Rugby 12. Fixtures: Chiswick v Sevenoaks, Chobham v Gosport & Fareham, Cobham v Tunbridge Wells, CS Rugby v Maidstone, Dover v Havant, Gravesend v Tottonians, Sidcup v Brighton. Thanet Wdrs . 16 13 0 3 502 245 65 Pulborough ... 16 13 0 3 484 273 65 Haywrds Hth . 16 13 1 2 378 162 60 Lewes........... 16 11 0 5 434 317 56 Folkestone .... 16 11 0 5 455 349 56 Sheppey ....... 16 5 1 10 376 477 33 G’ham Anch .. 16 5 0 11 373 436 26 Park House ... 16 5 0 11 259 419 26 O D’stonians . 16 6 1 9 374 453 23 Aylesfrd Blls.. 16 4 1 11 282 444 23 Eastbourne ... 16 5 0 11 255 379 22 Ashford ......... 16 3 0 13 241 459 8 Results: Aylesford Bulls 25 Ashford 0, Gillingham Anchorians 12 Old Dunstonians 29, Haywards Heath 23 Thanet Wanderers 17, Lewes v w/o attack, centre Godfrey scoring after the ball was moved wide following a catch-and-drive, Hallett with the conversion.
The reply was instant with Josh Pankhurst finishing a catch-and-drive and Euan Caborn adding the extras.
Chiswick restored their lead with another converted try – Darroch crossing the line – but back came Maidstone as Ben Brill caught the restart and powered through several tackles.
Caborn missed the conversion but made no mistake after Iles finished a series of passing moves to lead 19-14.
An interception by Pearson on Maidstone’s 22 saw him sprint the length of the pitch to secure Folkestone, Pulborough 34 Eastbourne 0, Sheppey 28 Park House 10. Fixtures: Ashford v Gillingham Anchorians, Eastbourne v Sheppey, Folkestone v Haywards Heath, Old Dunstonians v Pulborough, Park House v Lewes, Thanet Wanderers v Aylesford Bulls. Hastings ....... 16 15 0 1 513 101 73 O W’sonians . 16 14 0 2 378 188 66 Cranbrook ..... 16 10 1 5 465 261 55 HSBC ............ 16 9 1 6 351 391 48 Kings Hosp ... 16 9 1 6 322 257 45 B’cehamian .. 16 8 0 8 287 308 38 Southwark .... 16 7 0 9 310 415 36 Vigo .............. 16 6 1 9 337 321 35 Brockleians ... 16 6 0 10 183 400 28 New Ash Grn. 16 4 0 12 279 346 24 Sittingbrne .... 16 4 0 12 251 397 23 Snowdown.... 16 2 0 14 161 452 1 Results: Beccehamian 17 New Ash Green 6, Cranbrook 46 Southwark Lancers 14, Hastings & Bexhill 26 Brockleians 0, HSBC 29 Sittingbourne 12, King’s College Hospital 20 Vigo 20, Old Williamsonians w/o v Snowdown. Fixtures: Brockleians v King’s College Hospital, New Ash Green v Cranbrook, Sittingbourne v Beccehamian, Snowdown v HSBC, Southwark Lancers v Hastings & Bexhill, Vigo v Old Williamsonians. Bristol ........... 13 11 0 2 476 181 55 Lichfield........ 13 11 0 2 414 211 54 Aylesford B ... 13 9 0 4 407 212 44 Saracens ...... 13 8 0 5 379 237 41 Worcester V .. 13 6 0 7 337 330 31 Richmond ..... 13 3 0 10 214 440 17 Wasps .......... 13 2 0 11 222 556 13 D’lington MP . 13 2 0 11 195 477 12 Result: Saracens 31 Wasps 17. the four-try bonus point, with Caborn taking the lead to 26-14.
Maidstone’s fifth try soon followed with Pankhurst finishing off some slick passing.
Slick became slack just before half-time as a chargeddown clearance gifted Hallett a converted try, leaving the half-time score 31-21 to the hosts.
Chiswick were sharper at the start of the second half but Maidstone were first to score, Pearson running from halfway for his second try, converted by Caborn.
Maidstone had their seventh try five minutes later, Lewis Stimpson’s score taking the lead to 43-21.
The game was over but Chiswick kept battering away and earned a four-try bonus point when scrum-half Vannini touched down. Maidstone: Baker, Pankhurst, Simpson, A Knight, Massey, Stimpson, Brill, Iles, Morosan, Caborn, Woolford, Webb, Cooke, Pearson, Moore. Replacements: Williams, Beck, Perica.