Dover 1st XV (14) v (8) Deal and Betteshanger
This game had all the ingredients of a classic and those two to three
hundred supporters who braved the cold weather to watch this contest
were not to be disappointed. 
The game was not a classic by anyone’s
imagination but the passion and commitment shown by each and every
player was something to be admired. The previous two encounters had
gone in Dover’s favour but the visitors were hungry and desperate
and quite frankly they have every right to feel down hearted by not
taking a point away from this game. There was very little in this match
with the Dover forwards again establishing themselves for the third
encounter in succession and the Lions backs looking slicker and sharper
throughout the game.
The Lions kicked up the slope in the first half and they had the better
of the game, much to the disappointment of the hosts. Basic errors
in ball handling and wayward passes cost Dover badly and they were
on the back foot. 
Tom Best opened the account with a penalty after
only minutes and the Lions were on the ascendancy. Thankfully the Sharks
forwards were in better shape and once again the lineouts were being
won by Messrs Gus Surendorff and Dale Tonks with three being taken
against the head. The battle was on and the thirty players on display
provided an ideal feast of hard and physical festive rugby.
Dover’s
penalty count was a little disappointing and full back Jon Foster was
sin binned after 35 minutes after a moment of madness. 
The penalty
that followed was slotted nicely by Tom Best. The Lions failed to nail
the game with some excellent play and Dover held on to the interval
with everything to do in the second half even though some of their
defence was well below what has been accustomed at Crabble.
I for one thought that the advantage of the second half would have
been different and with the ‘bogey’ of the Chairman Mr
Catt being present, all was not looking well in the opening minutes
of the half. For some reason Deal took the peddle off the gas and Dover
came back after 50 minutes of a game where their passion had apparently
been lost. Dover were awarded a penalty after numerous infringements
and Deal’s Wes Bull was binned for a ‘team error’.
The lineout was again won and Dover drove the 10 metres with Surendorff
scoring. Martyn Beaumont slotted beautifully. The next 17 minutes was
pulsating with some superb play from both teams. Dover’s forwards
continued by taking a further two lineouts and showing their presence
up front. Former Betts player Kirk Savage was immense with a strong
performance and his two props Rick Stanley and Shane Moore solid. Flankers
Trigger Davison and Jimmy Byrne were all about the park and their efforts
superb. After 74 minutes Deal were awarded a penalty on the 22 and
Tom Best increased their lead. Dover came back with a vengeance and
they pinned themselves deep into Deals half. A number of infringements
followed and Ben Murray took a quick tap and referee Mr Gibson had
no doubt about awarding a penalty try when Murray was stopped short
of the line. Beaumont converted. The game wasn’t finished by
any means and from hereon the Lions were on the rampage and a total
of 15 minutes of injury time was played. The two Dover wingers Ricky
Mackintosh and Ben Sedgwick were immense, with the latter being the
pick of the backs. Their defence was superb and quite frankly it needed
to be. Deal pressurised and fought gallantly and the final touch down
was nullified time and time again. The intensity of the occasion was
enormous with much at stake for the two points. Dover hung on with
the white of everyone’s knuckles showing. At the death Dover
held on when Deal were adjudged not to have touched down at the final
hurdle. As the whistle blew the home team and supporters gasped a sigh
of relief and with tensions high a few unnecessary remarks were exchanged;
which can be appreciated in such a close fought encounter. In the height
of all the euphoria several Lions players approached the Dover huddle
and kind words were exchanged between them which is a measure of the
respect shown between the two teams. Dover will be pleased with their
three winning contests against their closest rivals and they remain
in second place behind Gravesend. Deal will quite rightly feel aggrieved
that they should have taken at least one point and a draw would have
been a fair reflection on this game as a whole.
Senior Coach Graham Tonks commented ‘We aimed to collect 4 points
from our last 3 league games and in fact we achieved 6. We are in a
much better league position than we could have hoped for and I am delighted
with everything that has been achieved in such a short time. As for
today I consider ourselves fortunate. My forwards were superb and provided
the platform to win the game; which might have gone the other way at
the end?’
But the injury list is still very full and this weekend has added to it, hopefully if we send the list to Santa, hopefully if they have all been good boys we may yet see the majority of them return to the squad during January. There are some positions more acutely affected than others, and with family demands at this time of year we have a difficult couple of weeks ahead.
This weekends team; Moore, Savage, Stanley, Tonks D, Robinson, Davison, Byrne, Surendorff, Murray, Beaumont, Tonks L, Townley, Mackintosh, Sedgwick, Foster, Hewer, May, Phillips.
Report by: Richard Collins
pictures by Ian Shilson
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