Blues make it seven in a row

James Garland, left, and Marck Olive halt a Bexley drive

Whitstable began the new year just as they had finished the last, by racking up another win – their seventh straight success in Shepherd Neame Kent 2, writes MARK STOKES.

Two tries in each half proved enough to see off a battling Bexley side, who had held the Blues to a 12-12 draw in the clubs’ first meeting, in September.

The result kept Whitstable in second behind runaway leaders Old Gravesendians but player-coach Mal Graves admitted it was not one of their better performances.

He added: “Bexley aren’t a bad side but we didn’t help ourselves at times. We were a little bit eager on the offside line.

“I had no complaints with the penalties the referee gave against us but all credit to Bexley.

“For a side third bottom, amazingly, they managed to keep their penalty count down to two for 65 minutes of the game.

“I didn’t ever think we were going to lose but there was period of time when we were down to 14 (after Graves himself had been yellow carded) and we just let them have the ball. Our lineout didn’t function, something we didn’t really address and it was frustrating at times but we got a bonus point win on little ball so we take that and move on.”

Bobby Powell’s power and pace brought him two tries with the others coming from Andy Huey and James Garland, who Graves said continues to grow in stature at full-back. Jack Barrow added a conversion to complete the scoring.

The Blues remain just ahead of Royal Bank of Scotland in the race for promotion but Graves admits he is down to the ‘bare bones’ for Saturday’s trip to Orpington, who themselves scratched their game at Faversham last weekend.

Prop Joey Taggart faces another three to four weeks out with a shoulder injury, while Andy Newman is sidelined until next month with a similar problem and fellow second-row Rob Hudson damaged his collarbone at Bexley. He could also be out for a month.

Graves also has several players unavailable and he admitted: “I could do with a few more bodies but the club’s in a decent place at the moment.

“This run is one of the best they’ve had in recent years and hopefully we can keep it going at Orpington.”

Orpington were unable to field a side against Faversham in Shepherd Neame Kent 2 on Saturday, giving the Castaways a walkover victory for five league points, although Faversham Ladies were unable to field a side against Basildon on Sunday.

Faversham’s men visit Dartford Valley on Saturday.

‘We got a bonus point win on little ball, so we take that and move on’