In another vital league match as the season draws towards a conclusion Cranbrook put in a fine performance particularly in the second half to ease to full points as they scored 4 tries.
Cranbrook received the kick off from Dover who were playing towards the clubhouse, after incessant rain, but a dry couple of days, the still well grassed pitch was reasonably firm so without much wind the conditions were perfect for an open game.
Cranbrook scored early as Dover possession was turned over by the referee, Mr James Robinson of the Sussex Society, who spotted a forward pass. From the scrum Cranbrook went right where left wing Elliott Barbour came across to join the line, stepping out of an attempted tackle he off loaded to the supporting scrum half Hugo Orpin to score a few metres in from touch, converted well by Fabian Rimmer.
Cranbrook were back on the attack as Alex Cornwallis achieved a turnover as Dover were penalised for not releasing the ball after a tackle. Rimmer found a good touch and in a nice variation the ball was thrown long to Captain Hamish Gillanders who immediately offloaded to Rimmer on a crash ball who knocked on. It did though demonstrate the intent and confidence of the Cranbrook XV
Dover now came into the game more and looked to have the bigger pack which they used to their advantage, Cranbrook though were competing on all fronts although their scrum came under pressure and they did well to limit any advantage this might have given the visitors. Cranbrook looked to have the better backs but when Dover broke through in midfield only a fine tap tackle by Cornwallis prevented what had seemed a certain try. Cranbrook next attacked and when Orpin was blocked following his kick through, Rimmer kicked to touch towards the 22 but the lineout was lost.Then as Dover kicked through wing Stefan Jovanovic showed a fine bit of skill to catch and recover to make good ground in his most authoritative game of the season.
Another Cranbrook attack produced a penalty in front of the posts, but Cranbrook lost the ball as they tried to progress from the tap. Dover ran the ball back into midfield but were penalised as Rimmer executed a turnover, the penalty attempt from just short of halfway looked ambitious but he comfortably got the length for a 10-0 lead after 15 minutes.
The second quarter of the game was mainly Dover with ball and field position. Orpin put in a potential try saving tackle but they scored after half an hour as Cranbrook held several forward drives but ran out of defence as Dover moved the ball left to score. They drew level as half time approached in similar circumstances.
These well matched teams had contrasting styles and it was felt that if Cranbrook could move the larger Dover team around the field more they would prevail.
Cranbrook started the second half well as Dover were forced to knock on from the kick off. From the scrum Rimmer managed to break the defensive line passed to the supporting Cornwallis who adroitly passed immediately to Jack Lewis who was clear to score by the posts, Rimmer converting for a very fine try.
A feature of the game was the work rate of the pack, with Gillanders in particular making a huge number of tackles as well as providing front lineout ball, an option Cranbrook used a lot as Dover had a tall mid line jumper who had stolen a couple of Cranbrook throws.
Gillanders appeared to be stamped on but this just produced a stern warning rather than a card, but soon Cornwallis was to receive a card as Dover were in position close to the posts. A fine Guy Guy Crouchman tackle caused a large Dover replacement to knock on as Rimmer cleared to the 22 metre line. At this point on 58 minutes Coach Chris Catt decided to make 2 substitutions with flanker Bear Pearce being replaced by debutant 18 year old Daniel Betts and Lewis Stone coming on for Rory McDowell. In a key period of the game Cranbrook made light of being a man short spending most of the ten minutes on the attack. The one Dover attack of note ended when a promising kick through was spectacularly caught on the dive by Jovanovic. From the scrum the Dover prop was penalised for not pushing straight and Cranbrook cleared as Coach Catt made his final substitution with Phil Catt coming on at 10, the returning Cornwallis going to 15 to replace Owen Chilvers with 64 minutes played.
The game continued to be in Cranbrook's favour as Dover appeared to tire. When Orpin chipped through from a midfield scrum the right wing chose to control the ball with his foot rather than falling on the ball to secure it. In a comic moment redolent of a football goalkeeper losing the ball at his feet with disastrous consquences, he only managed to divert the ball into the path of the on rushing Orpin, who collected and offloaded to the supporting Betts for a debut try again converted by Rimmer with 65 minutes played.
Dover did manage a further attack and as Cranbrook offended called a scrum 15 metres out. A score here would possibly have made the last few minutes difficult for Cranbrook, but the dynamic Crouchman came to the rescue with another fine turnover as the danger was cleared. The exhausted tight head prop Jason Bushell was taken off after 70 minutes having done really well along with hooker Josh Forknall and loose head prop Miles Stockman to limit any Dover scrum dominance, Stockman was also noticeably prominent in the loose, Stone taking Bushell's place in the front row and Pearce coming back on.
When Rimmer put another penalty just into the 22, tryline pressure resulted in recycled ball finding Phil Catt lurking on the right wing to find just enough room to score in the corner to close the game out with only 5 minutes remaining.
This was another compelling match well refereed by Mr Robinson who showed a consistency of decision making. Cranbrook will take great heart from this display and will relish the firmer grounds that surely we will now get. Captain Hamish Gillanders was a very deserving Biddenden Vineyard man of the match.
In the other relegation match Charlton Park won at Thanet to go above them. It is to south London that Cranbrook visit next week in a match that may determine the season, therefore as much support as possible would be welcome.
The team was 1 Miles Stockman, 2 Josh Forknall, 3 Jason Bushell, 4 Toby Freeman, 5 Rory McDowell, 6 Bear Pearce, 7 Hamish Gillanders Captain, 8 Guy Crouchman, 9 Hugo Orpin, 10 Alex Cornwallis, 11 Elliot Barbour, 12 Fabian Rimmer, 13 Jack Lewis, 14 Stefan Jovanovic, 15 Owen Chilvers.
Replacements 16 Lewis Stone, 17 Daniel Betts, 18 Phil Catt, all used as indicated in text.