Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Cliff saves the day after early return from injury
Ben Cliff marked his return from injury by scoring the decisive try as Whitstable made it four successive wins in Shepherd Neame Kent 2 on Saturday.
The Blues were two points behind deep into the final quarter when a quick tap penalty presented Cliff with the chance to go over for a score that was converted by Jack Barrow.
Last year’s leading try scorer, hooker Cliff completed his first 80 minutes since a knee operation six weeks ago – and did so ahead of his scheduled comeback to help ease an injury crisis.
Player-coach Mal Graves, whose quick tap led to Cliff’s score, said: “Ben had an op six weeks ago and had pencilled in the Faversham game the following week but we were missing five from the previous game so I asked him if he’d play and he was happy to do so.
“We must have given away two stone a man to them up front and they dominated the scrums but we adapted our game and fitness wise, we knew they would tire and that was the case.”
Impressive full- back James Garland was Whitstable’s other try scorer, finishing off an excellent team move, while Barrow kicked two penalties to complete the scoring. Footscray’s tally included a debatable try right on half-time when the home scrum-half appeared to have fumbled the ball as he attempted to ground it.
The Blues were temporarily down to 14 at the time and Graves said he felt the performance was every bit as good as the one which ended Royal Bank of Scotland’s unbeaten run at Reeves Way the previous week, especially as they lost prop Joey Taggart and second-row Andy Newman to injury during the game.
He added: “This is another of those games we would have lost in the past but are now winning.
“The players are learning how to adapt and all credit to them.
“They train twice every week and when you’ve got 25 players regularly turning out like that, it doesn’t half make my job a lot easier.”
The Blues remain third and on Saturday host neighbours Faversham at Reeves Way, kick-off 2.30pm.
‘Fitness wise, we knew they would tire and that was the case’