Cranbrook travelled to Crabble for a much-anticipated game against a promoted team also in the lower reaches of the league table.
Conditions were pretty good despite the cold, where snow was lying on the hills on the edge of Dover, with no wind and just a slippery surface on a reasonably grassed pitch.
Cranbrook kicked off down the slight slope and scored fairly early as a penalty was kicked to 5 metres and the taken lineout was convincingly driven on with as usual Josh Pankhurst at the apex to break off and score, Fabian Rimmer converting.
At this stage Cranbrook look liked they might dominate, but the first of several lineouts stolen by a particularly adept Dover jumper led to a more even game as the half progressed. Scrums yielded no advantage to either team as Dover did reply from a close-range penalty and looked to run the ball back when Cranbrook kicked, as they often did. They did not look especially dangerous with some handling errors, but Cranbrook did little only left-wing Anthony Andrews making significant ground once in each half as he ran kicks back. Play developed from one such run, and another penalty was kicked towards 5 metres. Captain Hamish Gillanders called a shorter lineout to himself at the front due to previous fallibilities but with the same convincing result as this time Tom Humphries scored.
It was noticeable that Cranbrook did not appear to have the urgency displayed in the last game and when Tom Hamplett for not rolling away and then David Lock for a high tackle were carded towards half time as they began to incur the displeasure of the referee Mr Ross Alexander, Dover were able to score and convert against the 13 men for a 10-12 half time score.
If Cranbrook did well to only concede once when reduced in numbers, perhaps this effort had something to do with a poor second half showing, where Dover upped their effort to have territorial dominance. A score came to give them the lead for the first time and more looked possible as Cranbrook struggled to escape from their 22. This was in part due to indiscipline when twice Cranbrook were marched backward for backchat.
Another high tackle cost a Dover player a card and for once Cranbrook looked to have a chance to move the ball, but the pacey outside backs were not released, and the chance lost. The ball was retained though, and Dover were penalised, enabling Rimmer to put a good kick to 5 metres. Another convincing catch and drive produced the third such score of the day for Tom Hamplett which equalised the score with 5 minutes remaining.
From the kick off Dover returned to the attack and when Guy Crouchman was to his great frustration carded, it looked ominous for the visitors. A try looked likely when a chip was chased into goal, the attacker was ahead of Cranbrook fullback Wilf Sellick and seemingly certain to score, Sellick dived first to attempt to touch down but only managed to get enough on the ball to cause the attacker to knock on. The referee ruled that as Sellick did not have control of the ball which rolled dead, an attacking scrum was given. Despite the best efforts of the defence, Dover were able to get over for the winning score which was deemed, after the failed conversion, to be the last play.
This was a game that all felt was winnable, but Cranbrook were never able to play at the tempo they would have wished to, in part due to Mr Alexander wanting to speak, at length, to various Cranbrook team members and Captain Gillanders about their discipline as the penalty count mounted. Coach Chris Catt mentioned his disappointment referring to lack of tempo and killer instinct.
Next Saturday Cranbrook have a home game against Charlton Park proceeded by Xmas dinner, a chance to get the season back on track as the season reaches halfway.
The team was 1 Miles Stockman, 2 Josh Pankhurst, 3 David Lock, 4 Tom Hamplett, 5 Josh Forknall, 6 Tom Humphries, 7 Hamish Gillanders, 8 Guy Crouchman, 9 Ollie Addis, 10 O Chilvers, 11 Anthony Andrews, 12 Fabian Rimmer, 13 Jack Lewis, 14 Elliot Barbour, 15 Wilf Sellick. SUBS Toby Freeman for Forknall 45min, Phil Catt for Chilvers 55min, Bear Pearce to 6 for Pankhurst 70min, Humphreys to hooker.
Match report by Philip Rimmer