Cranes win battle of strugglers
Cranbrook had the edge for a 28-15 win over fellow Kent 1 strugglers Thanet Wanderers.
Cranes started with intent and when their forwards were denied on the left the ball was swiftly moved right where centre Jack Lewis went over in the corner. Fabian Rimmer added the extras for a 7-0 lead.
Wanderers hit back when the hosts knocked on and from the resultant scrum recycled ball was finished off for an away try. Thanet then intercepted a home move for an unopposed score and the conversion, followed by a penalty, left Cranbrook on the back foot.
The home side chased the game well, though, Rimmer finding touch towards the goal line and, from the following lineout, Cranes fed the ball to Josh Pankhurst and he did the rest before Rimmer’s conversion.
Skipper Hamish Gillanders made a timely intervention after the break, while Cranes had to temporarily make do without the influential Alex Cornwallis when he saw yellow. On his return they scored their third try, Toby Freeman crossing the whitewash after several phases, with Rimmer accurate once more from the tee.
Freeman finished off the scoring after another lineout, Cornwallis this time adding the two points.
Cranbrook, in 11th, visit Deal & Betteshanger on Saturday.
Aylesford Bulls and Maidstone both return to Kent 2 action after a free weekend. Bulls, in fifth, travel to third-place Westcombe Park 2nds, while Maidstone, in eighth, are away to fourth-spot Folkestone.
Tonbridge Juddians claimed their 11th win of the National League 2 East season with a 45-17 success over bottom-of-thetable North Walsham.
TJs came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders and three converted tries within the first 10 minutes gave them a 21-0 lead.
James Newey got the first with a fine finish from the centre, Duncan Tout added a second - and his first from the wing - before fellow winger Howard Packman added the third. Tom White converted all three scores but his afternoon ended early with a thigh problem. North Walsham rallied, but the gap in class was too great to bridge. Elliott Luke crashed over with the forwards for
Judds’ fourth score and Tout added his second.
The second half opened with more of the same. Alex Reid rumbled over and Sam Evans added the extras before the hosts opened their account with a converted try.
Ryan Munnelly replied for the away side, scoring their seventh try on the hour with Evans converting, before two late home touchdowns.
Tonbridge stay sixth in the table and return to league action with the visit of leaders Esher on March 9 (3pm).