Second-half revival almost brings unlikely victory

Mal Graves praised his team’s character as they came within a penalty kick of completing an impressive comeback in this top-of-the-table Shepherd Neame Kent 2 clash on Saturday.

A depleted Blues side trailed 17-0 at half-time before launching a spirited revival which brought them three tries and a losing bonus point.

The defeat was Whitstable’s first of the season and saw them slip three points behind Brockleians – the new outright leaders – but player-coach Graves said it was impossible to criticise his players.

He added: “We were disappointed to lose but there’s certainly no doom and gloom around the place.

“We went up there with a squad ravaged by injury and unavailability, yet in the second half we pummelled them. They barely got in our half, we were much fitter and just ground them down. They were out on their feet but we just could not get over the line in the final few minutes.”

Graves was without five regular pack members – Rob Hudson, Andy Newman, Luke Pepper, Leeroy Chapia and Ryan Crane – and that led to a much rejigged line-up with centre Tony Cairney excelling as a makeshift second row.

The first half saw Blues repeatedly pulled up by the referee who awarded no less than 14 penalties against them.

Brockleians took full advantage to carve out a useful lead but in the second half, Blues turned the game on its head.

Bobby Powell, Will Reid and Cairney all scored tries out wide, although none were converted, and a long-range penalty to win the game late on drifted just wide of the right hand post.

Graves was particularly pleased with the effort of his much reshuffled pack who competed well against bigger opponents and singled out Joey Taggart who played through the pain barrier.

He added: “We certainly weren’t helped by the number of penalties that went against us in the first half but I never thought we were out of it and once we got our first try, their crowd began to go a bit quiet.

“Brockleians were physically exhausted by the end and I’ve every confidence that when they come to us later in the season, we will be able to reverse the result.” NATIONAL LEAGUE 2 SOUTH

PW D L F A Ps Chinnor ......... 10 9 1 0 347 211 47 Cinderford..... 10 9 0 1 411 212 45 Taunton T’s .. 10 9 0 1 417 201 44 R’dingensian . 10 7 0 3 342 239 38 Redruth ........ 10 7 0 3 295 197 35 B St Edmund. 10 7 0 3 284 241 35 Canterbury .... 10 7 0 3 294 222 34 Henley .......... 10 5 1 4 293 336 27 T’bridge Jud . 10 4 0 6 274 252 22 Barnstaple .... 10 4 0 6 231 293 22 Worthing ....... 10 3 0 7 241 358 20 London Irish .. 10 3 0 7 317 311 19 Clifton ........... 10 3 1 6 227 331 18 Broadstreet ... 10 1 0 9 203 382 8 O Redcliffian . 10 0 1 9 218 409 7 Wimbledon ... 10 0 0 10 165 364 3 Results: Bury St Edmunds 37 Clifton 19, Canterbury 50 Worthing 26, Taunton Titans 31 Henley 42, Broadstreet 7 Tonbridge Juddian 52, Old Redcliffians 33 Cinderford 43, Redruth 46 London Irish Wild Geese 38, Wimbledon 13 Redingensians 24, Barnstaple Chinnor 32. Fixtures: Redingensians v Redruth, Worthing v Broadstreet, Cinderford v Barnstaple, Clifton v Canterbury, Tonbridge Juddian v Old Redcliffians, Chinnor v Wimbledon, Henley v Bury St Edmunds, London Irish Wild Geese v Taunton Titans.

SHEPHERD NEAME KENT 2 Brockleians ..... 6 6 0 0 224 47 29 Whitstable ...... 6 5 0 1 259 69 26 Lordswood ...... 6 5 0 1 197 39 26 Foots Cray ...... 6 5 0 1 204 80 25 Greenwich ...... 6 2 0 4 46 89 11 Bexley ............ 6 2 0 4 132 182 10 Dartford Vall.... 6 2 0 4 68 247 9 Faversham...... 6 1 0 5 80 148 6 Askean ........... 6 1 0 5 57 253 6 Snowdown...... 6 1 0 5 23 136 5 Results: Askean 5 Foots Cray 59, Brockleians 17 Whitstable 15, Dartford Valley 31 Faversham 27, Greenwich HWO Snowdown C.W., Lordswood 36 Bexley 7.