Cranbrook visited 2nd placed Beccehamians on a cold dry day. Cranbrook scored first as Josh Forknall intercepted, he got hauled down not far from the tryline, but the hosts offended, and Fabian Rimmer had an easy kick to open the scoring.
Thereafter Beccs soon got into their stride showing a pleasing variety to their game, mixing moving the ball wide with some forward drives and astute kicks. Their first try owed something to fortune as a kick through bounced wickedly and evaded a wrong-footed defender for the home winger to collect and score. Two more tries followed quite quickly as good running and support play produced openings, Cranbrook were competing but were being outplayed particularly as the clearance kicks from Rimmer were often caught on the full by 1 of as many as 4 players lying deep to await them.
The influential Jack Lamb was carded after 25 minutes but Cranbrook with 14 men produced a really good try as after the forwards had done the groundwork, the ball was swiftly and accurate moved wide by the backs for debutant fullback Max Moore to score out wide and Rimmer to convert well.
More good phase play resulted in a try for a home prop which was well received, but Cranbrook again responded as 18-year-old debutant wing Hugo Orpin intercepted on halfway and was able to make the tryline for a halftime score of 22-15.
Cranbrook had competed well with near parity in the scrum and lineout, but after home pressure they were able to score from a five-metre scrum. Tom Hamplett had to retire with a cut, but Beccs scored again for a commanding lead. Cranbrook though still had some phases and a failed penalty attempt, but when Beccs were reduced to 14 by a high tackle, a long penalty kick to touch put Cranbrook near the tryline. After retaining the ball eventually space appeared on the right which Orpin expertly exploited with a fine step to score towards the corner, bringing the score to 34-20.
This however was as good as it got for the visitors as in the last 15 minutes 5 tries were run in as a tiring Cranbrook team began to miss tackles. A fit and motivated home team were a pleasure to watch.
Match report by Philip Rimmer