Deal hosted Ash for the annual memorial match in memory of their junior player Steven Perry. The match began with a short speech and minutes silence and ended with the teams visiting a tree planted in Steven's memory in the grounds of Deal and Betteshanger Rugby Club.
In between the teams treated a good sized crowd to an exciting game of rugby played in the best spirit of the game.
Deal dominated the opening stages of the match and kept Ash pinned deep into their own half with some of the fiercest tackling Ash had encountered this season. Such a high work rate began to take its toll and gaps opened up as Deal tired. Ash took their chances with three tries in the closing 15 minutes of the first half and took a 0-19 lead into half-time.
The second half saw fortunes reversed as Ash failed to take scoring opportunities and then had to absorb sustained pressure as Deal finished the match strongly, scoring a brace of tries as the game finished 12-19.
Tries:
Henry Lawn 20 mins
Louis Gibson 26 mins, 35 mins
Conversions:
Ben Gunter 26 mins, 35 mins