The visitors started strongly, pressing Deal deep into their own half. Ten minutes of sustained pressure kept Deal pinned back near their try line, but their defence held firm, repeatedly repelling wave after wave of attack.

Against the run of play, Deal’s first opportunity came from a clearance kick by Felix Poynton, chased down brilliantly by Ethan Imajemite to regain possession in midfield.

The ball was moved quickly, and Jonathan Mattison spotted space behind the Hoek defence, putting in a grubber kick to chase. Following up with a second kick into the in-goal area, he gathered cleanly to open the scoring for Deal.

Hoek continued to dominate possession, but Deal’s defence remained resolute. Every attack was met with strong tackling, never allowing Hoek time on the ball. Deal’s next opportunity came from a powerful run down the wing by William Northcott, who broke the line and outpaced the full-back to score in the corner.

Shortly after, Deal struck again. Jonathan found a gap, broke clear, and crossed for his second try. He then added an excellent conversion from a difficult angle, sending Deal into half-time with a commanding lead - despite injuries to William Northcott and Aston Armstrong leaving them down to a bare 15.

The second half followed a similar pattern, with Hoek enjoying the majority of possession. They retained the ball well at the breakdown but were unable to break through Deal’s disciplined and organised defence.

Deal extended their lead when Felix Poynton found space out wide and ran in their fourth try. Brandon Ashington came agonisingly close to scoring Deal's fifth, recovering a charged down kick from Hoek's try line, touching it down in the in-goal, only for play to be brough back for Hoek's penalty advantage.

Hoek continued to push and were eventually rewarded after winning a penalty in the Deal 22. This time, Deal’s defence was breached, allowing Hoek to score their only try of the match.

Overall, a commanding performance from Deal. Despite Hoek having most of the ball, Deal’s defence was rock solid, and they looked dangerous every time they attacked. There were strong performances across the team, with special mentions to Kian Meade and Logan Campling for outstanding tackling.

Man of the Match: Jonathan Mattison - for his tackling, control, and all-round attacking contribution.

Final Score: Deal & Betteshanger 22 - Hoek van Holland 5

Tries:
Jonathan Mattison (2)
William Northcott
Felix Poynton

Conversions:
Jonathan Mattison