Thanet Wanderers U13s (27) v (17) Dover U13s
Played 13/01/2008
On Sunday 13 January, the team travelled to St Peter’s Recreation Ground, Broadstairs for this season’s second fixture against the Wanderers. The previous encounter at Crabble had ended in a draw and the young Sharks were keen come away with a win. With this in mind Dover were by far the more positive in the first quarter, Thanet were pegged back on their try line defending against strong forward play combined with some good passing moves from the backs enabling Luke Rigden to crash though for a try to register the first points of the match. This was the wake up call that Thanet needed regrouping at the restart and putting together some good passing phases of play to go over the Shark’s try line to level the scores just before the half-time whistle.
Shortly after the start of the second period, the Wanderers were awarded a penalty close to the Dover line which they exploited to score a converted try. A further two breakaway tries were scored by the homeside in quick succession. The Sharks to their credit kept their heads up and concerted pressure from the forwards was rewarded with penalty 10 metres from Thanet’s try line. Luke Rigden took the penalty quickly and finding a gap in the defensive line went through to produce his second try of the match. At the restart Dover continued to pressure, quicker to the break downs and putting together a fluid passage of play setting up Luke Rigden again who went over for a third time out wide to score a hatrick of tries. Tom Clark kicked an excellent conversion in windy conditions to put the visitors within a score of levelling the match. Against the run of play and within only a few minutes of the final whistle the Wanderers winger charged though the Shark’s defences to score the last try of the match.
A good Dover away performance which is not really reflected by the scoreline. Congratulations to Luke Rigden on his first competitive match hatrick!
Under 13s : Kurtis Abbitt, Luke Allen, Joe Bisset, Hal Bryan, Jordan Caldwell, Tom Clark, Robert Duffy, Shaun Fields, Sam Gibbs, Issack Goeghegan, Aidan Harper, Sam Harrison, Thomas Johnstone, Joe Killick-Baker, Oliver Latham, James Moynan, Luke Rigden, Thomas Saunders, Jack Smith, Oliver Thompson, Joe Tonkin
Coach: George Clark
Reported by Chris Bryan
