Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Pack power the platform
A brutal performance from Faversham’s pack led to a seventry, 37-25 victory over a strong Canterbury 3rds side at the Faversham Recreation Ground on Saturday.
Man-of-the-match Luke Garnham stole the show, bagging a hat-trick, while further tries for Pete Bulteel, Billy Egleton, Eddie Stott and Tom Scamp ensured there was no possibility of a late Canterbury comeback.
Despite Faversham starting the stronger, it was Canterbury who opened the scoring with an unopposed run from the halfway line and the lead was doubled from the kick-off after a sloppy restart allowed a four-on-two overlap on the blindside.
A penalty extended the lead to 15-0 inside 20 minutes but Faversham came back into the game with a mixture of power, skill and athleticism. Billy Egleton and Dan Hodges put Pete Bulteel over in the corner to make it 15-5 and after the break, quick hands from Dave Tabor and an excellent line from Garnham resulted in Faversham’s No. 8 running in his first try.
Shortly after, Bulteel found Egleton who managed to step outside Canterbury’s winger before a turn of pace down the hill meant he was too quick for ex-faversham player Ollie Jaynes to catch him, resulting in the scores being levelled at 15-all.
Faversham were now completely on top and Stott opened his account for the season with a tidy finish down the blindside after a catch and drive from a lineout five metres out.
The scores kept coming for Faversham with debutant Scamp scoring his first try for the club with a powerful drive before Garnham completed his hat-trick.
His second try came after an excellent scrum for the Faversham pack won the ball against the head and marched Canterbury over their own try-line.
His third came after charging down Canterbury fly-half Jaynes and chasing down the loose ball to go in unopposed under the post.
Canterbury did score the final try after some good work down the blind side by their backs.
Faversham: C.lehane, R.mcdermott, E.stott, C.harmsworth, S.oatley, A.mullany, T.harrison, L.garnham, D.tabor, B.egleton, H.bowsher, D.hodges, P.bulteel, D.martins, T.woolf, F.irons, T. Scamp, S.nelson.