Improving Cranbrook after coming close recently finally got a long awaited and deserved win, mainly due to a fine defensive effort and two of the three tries scored were opportunist.
Yet more rain ceased not long before kick-off leaving a surprisingly firm if slippery pitch. Deal kicked off playing away from the clubhouse with a slight breeze in their favour. They were to have most of the territory in the first half, but Cranbrook were committed at the tackle and breakdown, with a noticeably good line speed and good, improved, verbal encouragement. Deal looked at their most dangerous from a well-controlled rolling maul from a couple of close-range lineouts. Cranbrook took heart from managing, just, to defend these, Deal created little from open play as Cranbrook tackled with noticeable gusto. Although Deal scored a well converted penalty, they were not able to add to this although remaining in the Cranbrook half almost totally. Fly half Owen Chilvers could not always get much length with clearances and on one occasion danger loomed as the breeze got hold of a goal line clearance which had barely cleared his pack, fortunately Deal got offside and the danger was cleared. Despite almost no territory Cranbrook were competing well in all aspects of the game. The scrum was steady often getting pressure on the Deal scrum, the lineouts mainly thrown to the imperious Tom Hamplett were secured and the competitiveness around the breakdown caused Deal some problems. The busy centre, Alex Cornwallis, was very prominent seemingly acting as an auxiliary flanker.
After about 20 minutes Cranbrook with well controlled phase play passed halfway perhaps for the second time in the match. When the ball was moved left to wing Anthony Andrews about 40 metres out nothing much looked on. Andrews had other ideas and used his strength to brush off 2 tacklers as he came off his wing. He then convincingly stepped the fullback to score triumphantly near to the posts for Chilvers to convert and a 7-3 lead which remained the half time score.
A most encouraging half for Cranbrook gave optimism that a first win could be secured particularly as the breeze seemed to become a little stronger.
Cranbrook did have more of the territory after half time, with Josh Pankhurst in particular prominent in gaining ground, but not to the extent that the visitors did in the first half. Although once turned over on their own scrum ball, Cranbrook otherwise became more dominant here, sometimes resulting in penalties from which Deal lost ground. Deal also made some mistakes due to the pressure Cranbrook put upon them. After 5 minutes Cornwallis in midfield realised there was space on the right and a long-lobbed pass found his fellow centre Jack Lewis. Showing good pace no one could catch him as he scored towards the corner.
Towards the mid-way point of the half substitutions were made with Fabian Rimmer and Phil Catt coming on for Elliot Barbour and Chilvers. Barbour did not get much of the ball but with good positioning and vocality on his welcome return after injury added considerably to the strong team defensive performance. This then enabled Rimmer to make a couple of trademark long clearances, one finishing in goal which needed a goal line drop out. Eventually as Deal transgressed again Rimmer put a penalty deep into the 22. Hamplett yet again secured the lineout and Cranbrook drove with Pankhurst on hand to ground the ball as he twisted out of a robust tackle about halfway out. The Conversion from Cornwallis struck the post as Cranbrook had a 2 score lead at 17-3 with just 10 minutes remaining.
Deal noticeably tried to up their game in the time remaining but Cranbrook held them with confidence until in the last couple of minutes a penalty was kicked towards the corner and an efficient catch and drive, although again held, produced recycled ball for a score near the corner. This was well converted to gain Deal a bonus point but there was no time to create anything else.
Cranbrook had given their most complete performance of the season for which the pack must take plaudits for setting the high energy levels and can therefore after a break of a week look forward to a visit to Dover on December 2, hopefully in the company of a good body of travelling support for another important game. The Biddenden Vineyard sponsored man of the match was Jack Lewis, for a strong defensive effort and fine try.
The team was 1 J Yeomans, 2 J Pankhurst, 3 D Lock, 4 T Hamplett, 5 J Forknall, 6 T Humphreys, 7 H Gillanders, Captain, 8 G Crouchman, 9 O Addis, 10 O Chilvers, 11 A Andrews, 12 A Cornwallis, 13 J Lewis, 14 E Barbour, 15 K Bottle.
Subs F Rimmer for Barbour and P Catt for Chilvers at 60 mins, B Pearce for Pankhurst at 72 minutes to play 6 with Humphreys going to hooker.
Match report by Philip Rimmer