Old Elthamians (22) v (20) Dover 1st XV
Consistency is undoubtedly the key to success in any form of sport.
Unfortunately Dover do not appear to be able to perform to the necessary
standard week on week and their best efforts of the season are normally
followed by a display that is well below the expectation of such a
talented side. Injuries and absences are a theme that many teams wish
to shoulder the blame upon and great play is made by some of our opponents
to hide their inadequacies. The Sharks are in a similar position to
that but there can be no excuses for the losses so far this season.
In short this game was lost through Dover’s inability to control
a game that was certainly well within their grasp. Dover started in
a similar fashion to last week, unfortunately they were unable to put
points on the board which would ultimately lead to them losing this
contest. A catalogue of basic errors, including missed tackles, sloppy
passes, rushed play and poor handling would prove to be their downfall.
Indiscipline within the squad was also an issue and individuals must
reflect on their own performance and attitude and assess the damage
being caused within the fabric of the team. Credit to the Old E’s
who stuck to their business and their playmaker the outside half kicked
wide, opened gaps and controlled the direction of the first half. A
breakaway try was scored by Old E’s and two further scores followed
with Dover answering with a Martyn Beaumont penalty. Dover did have
a fair amount of possession but their efforts were error strewn and
the opportunities were missed. 
With their backs against the wall Dover had an uphill struggle against
a dogged and determined home side but strong words were expressed at
the interval and the second half would be played in better spirit by
the Sharks.
Dover applied pressure and Beaumont kicked a penalty to
reduce the deficit. Ricky Stanley took to the field after 50 minutes
following injury and he lasted less than a minute before being binned
for a moment of madness with a penalty decision being reversed against
Dover.
Straight away Old E’s increased their lead with their
left winger chipping cleverly ahead to touch down. From hereon Dover
took control of the game and with the slope in their favour they managed
to take this game to the wire. Ricky Mackintosh was the pick of the
backs with some explosive running and showing an attitude that was
sadly missing amongst some of his peers. Beaumont scored on the 60th
minute and converted the score. 
Jamie Phillips made his first team
league debut and showed immediate promise on the wing. The Dover forwards
were working well and beginning to cause the hosts all sorts of problems
and Jamie Townley was unlucky not to score when he was adjudged to
have received a forward pass. The pressure mounted on E’s and
Greg Hewer, who has worked his socks off in recent weeks, touched down
following aggressive forward play. The conversion followed. With only
a number of minutes left on the clock Dover needed one score to kill
the game. Direct from kick off Buster Collins made a storming break.
The ball was fed along the line to Jamie Townley who in acres of space
to score was pulled back for an alleged forward pass. This was by any
standard of officiating a poor decision but worse was to follow when
Mackintosh touched down for a perfectly orchestrated try a minute or
so later and Dover were again pulled up for a similar decision. Dover
can rightly feel that they were dealt a cruel blow by an official who
was inconsistent and unable to keep pace with the game all afternoon
and most would say that they had been ‘robbed’ at the end
of the day. Old E’s were quite rightly pleased with their two
points leaving Dover to ponder on the opportunities missed and those
decisions that were critical to the outcome of the game.
Coach Graham Tonks was down heartened but optimistic on the future – ‘Yet
again we are the authors of our own misfortune. We played well in stages
but the mistakes cost us as did the decisions in the dying minutes.
We must now prepare for next week against league leaders Deal Lions,
which will be a huge challenge for us’.
Team; Stanley, Savage, Hewer, Tonks D, Robinson, Collins, Davison,
Surrendorff, Murray, Beaumont, Tonks L, Townley, Mackintsosh, Charge,
Close, May, Phillips.
Report by: Richard Collins
pictures by Ian Shilson
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