On Saturday 2 October, the Sevenoaks Gents 4XV welcomed Thanet Wanderers 2XV to the Paddock. Off the back of a successful start to the Season with a win against TJs 3XV, the Gents were eager to get back into action. Equally, Thanet were looking for a repeat of their 88 - 14 rout against Deal & Betteshanger 2XV the previous weekend. The conditions dire, a blustery day with an afternoon-long deluge of rain, some would say "Perfect Rugby Weather".
James Anderson back as Skipper running out for his first League game of the Season, with three new players having their first starts for the Gents: Daryl Barr at Hooker; Graham Ristow at Blindside Flanker; and Adam Vickers at Openside Flanker. Adam a Sevenoaks Academy Player having his first Senior start and playing alongside his Dad, Paul Vickers.
The first half was hard fought, Sevenoaks defended well with some big tackles going in across the board. Gents' Right-Wing Luke Welton setting the bar with a thundering tackle to stop his opposite number dead in his tracks. Thanet taking an early three points, capitalising on the Gents ill-discipline at the breakdown 0 - 3. Amongst the melee, Thanet's hard running Back-Row took a nasty knock to the shoulder and retired from the pitch. However, the Gents made limited inroads into Thanet's 22 and were being out-muscled in the scrum.
The Gents were having better luck in the line-out with Adam Vickers jumping at 2 and disrupting much of Thanet's throw-in. Late in the half, an errant Thanet throw-in in the Gents' 22 came loose at the back of the lineout, knocked on by Thanet's fifth-man. The Gents failed to react thinking a scrum would be awarded. But alas, the referee had not seen the knock-on, and Thanet capitalised with a try. 0 - 8 at half-time.
The second half, like the weather, was a damp squib for the Gents. A highlight being Rob Thurnell coming out of retirement (having retired the previous week) to sure up the scrum! A second try for Thanet coming from a wayward cross-field kick into the hands of Thanet's Right-Wing who in space accelerated over the Gent's line (0 - 15). A third try coming from Thanet's Left-Wing intercepting a pass from Gents' Fly-Half Nick Couchman, who in his defence probably had blood in his eyes having just delivered a clattering tackle and splitting his nose open (0 - 20)!
Anderson delivered some hard words under the sticks, the game now gone but resolute that the Team would not go in without a score. And with those words ringing in their ears, a better 10 - minutes of Sevenoaks play ensued. Topped off with a big carry from Mickey Thurnell that drew in the Thanet Pack, enabling Gent's Outside-Centre Tim Golds to break down the middle of the pitch, linking up with replacement Fly-Half Mark Reay, who popped the ball off to his right, enabling Andy Driscoll to touch-down over Thanet's try-line (7 - 20).
Thanet had the last laugh with their demonic driving maul, which had been threatening a score all match, delivering a fourth try. The game finishing 7 - 25. Daryl Barr the Gents' Man of the Match, mischievous in the loose, great delivery in the Line-Out and first time gracing a Rugby Union field for eight years.