Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Half-time blast has desired effect
Skipper Ben Cliff admitted it took coach Mal Graves to spark Whitstable into life at home to Lordswood on Saturday.
A lacklustre first 40 minutes finished with the Blues just 5- 0 ahead but, spurred on by a few well-chosen words from Graves, Whitstable pulled clear in the second half to consolidate second spot in Shepherd Neame Kent 2.
Cliff said: “We were in their 22 for a good 25, 30 minutes of the first half but only scored one try.
“We dropped a lot of ball and lacked a bit of intensity especially in the forwards.
“Mal had some stern words at half-time particularly for us in the pack. He said ‘ You boys from one to eight look like spoiled brats. You’re just strolling to the lineouts’ and he was right.
“Fortunately, we bucked our ideas up in the second half.”
Blues were playing for the first time since losing to title rivals Brockleians on November 4 and they looked a shadow of their usual selves in the first half.
Their only score came not long after Lordswood’s blindside flanker had been sent to the sin bin for repeat infringements with hooker Cliff going over after a rolling maul.
Lordswood wasted a good chance right on half-time from a lineout close to the home line and they were quickly made to regret that as the Blues extended their lead two minutes into the second half.
A poor Lordswood kick off was gathered and returned by Andrew Huey and when the visiting full-back spilt the ball behind his own line, replacement winger Jamie Piggins pounced.
Huey converted from out wide to make it 12- 0 and as the game ticked into the final quarter, Blues began to dominate with Cliff crossing for his second try which Huey again converted.
Good work by the forwards led to the bonus point try, scored by Bobby Powell who broke Lordswood tackles to go in under the posts.
Huey’s conversion stretched the lead to 26 points and the impressive scrum-half was also on hand to convert the last try, scored by Sam Holness after a good passage of play involving Huey, Piggins and Will Reid.
With Brockleians only winning 19-14 at Foots Cray Whitstable closed to gap at the top to two points but are without a fixture this weekend.
They travel to Greenwich on December 9.