A Cracking Game !!

The final outcome would have been even closer if some refereeing decisions had been kinder to the Home side .
The Lions side tore into the Visitors and it became apparent that despite the fact that their forwards were bigger than the Lions players, the fierce tackling and confrontation in all phases of play caused Maidstone problems . As the result of an early infringement, Connor Moss kicked a penalty for the lead .
Maidstone used the wind to advantage to gain ground but Wade Roberts and Alistair Doyle contested the line-outs very well and the Lions got good ball . The game swung each way, with Anthony Hart trying hard to break through the defensive line but was stopped by some good tackling.

After a small fracas from a reaction to a high tackle, Roberts and a Maidstone forward were given yellow cards for a rest, and the game continued at pace .

The Lions did not allow the fast Maidstone backs to get the ball and from a good period of play near the Visitors’ 25, LeftWing Carl Thatcher made ground, Sam Hanley came away with the ball from a ruck and passed back to Adam Michael, who went over for a good try . Moss missed the conversion narrowly from by the touchline .

Maidstone kicked a penalty to reduce the lead .

Again , after good Lions progress into the Maidstone 25 , and good inter-play between Hart and Thatcher, the latter was felled by a high tackle when he had their line at his mercy . The Maidstone man was sent off with a yellow card , which could have been dealt with more severely .

Play resumed with more strong action between the forwards of both sides and the action continued at a fierce pace .
Maidstone took a quick penalty and their extremely fast and skilful centres burst through and passed the ball swiftly for a good try to be scored . It was converted .

However, the Lions responded and in a good bout of inter-passing, Michael gave a perfectly good , flat pass to Moss who cut through a tackle to touch down for what was a good try . The Referee disallowed the try and adjudged the final pass to be forward , which was a grave disappointment to the spectators opposite the action .

There followed yet more good play and Cowens and Atkinson showed well in their actions .

However, once again, the Maidstone centres cut loose from a quickly-taken penalty and again a very good try and a conversion were scored .

The second half continued at pace and Maidstone went further ahead with a penalty . Apart from a yellow card being given to Dan Atkinson for an offence as the result of a struggle for the ball, the game continued in much the same vein as the first half .
Gavin Elsam, back on leave from The Royal Navy, put in a great tackle on the wing and as the attacks moved up and down the field, the Maidstone Left Wing was only stopped from scoring by a fine . low tackle by Jake Cowens and the Maidstone man dropped the ball as a result .

So ended an exciting game and Deal & Betteshanger, a ‘home-grown side’ gave a very good account of themselves against a Maidstone side that had beaten Aylesford by 105 points the previous week !

A guest at the game, Catherine Spencer, the former England Womens’ Rugby Captain, who comes from Hythe, watched the game with interest, as her Brother plays for Aylesford !

Report By David Storrie