Dover Rugby Club

With the 1-point defeat to Whitstable earlier in the season still fresh in the minds Dover took to the field looking to make amends in the East Kent cup. The game started well for Dover with the obligatory 3 points from the boot of Marsh which was quickly followed by a try for Burr who beat 3 would be tacklers to cross the line. If Dover thought this was the sign of things to come, they were rudely awakened when Whitstable scored a try of their own followed by a quick penalty to draw the game level at 8 all. Dover’s lead was reinstated when Kimble spurned the chance for 3 easy points and instead tapped quickly and crashed over the line. Whitstable again came flying back at Dover and scored a converted try after some poor defensive work to go 15-13 up just after half time.

With Dover now going up the hill all the memories of the previous encounter were starting to flood back. Dover were struggling in the set piece against their older but wiser opponents and it was slightly against the run of play when the returning Hewer managed to rip the ball free and skip down the line to restore Dover’s Lead. With the ball being fiercely contested in all area’s of the park Dover’s pack started to gain an advantage in the loose and, with the strong runs of Gill, the platform was being set for the backs to strut their stuff. Quick hands and direct running opened up space for Coughlan to go over for Dover’s next score. This seemed to lift the weight from Dover’s shoulders and further scores followed for Charge and Burr (2) who finished a memorable individual game by completing his hat trick

After competing well for 60 minutes Whitstable will be left wondering how they ended up losing 46-15 giving Dover a 31-point advantage to take into the second leg next week at Whitstable.

Team : Kimble, Cains, Hewer, Gill, Cherrington, Chambers, McAdam, Landman, Denning, Marsh, Kamara, Charge, Blair, Burr, Coughlan, Warner, James
Reported by Wayne Matcham