Dartfordians are through to the quarter-finals of the Shepherd Neame Kent Cup with a great win over local

rivals Gravesend, who are in a league higher, at Bourne Road, Bexley last Sunday.

A hesitant start saw the Darts soon go behind to a penalty and a good try as the fly-half chipped over the defence for the winger to score.

Fortunately, for the Darts, the conversion was missed and they hit back immediately with flanker Jason Wotherds powering over the try-line after a brilliant run by scrum-half How- ard Evans.

Fly-half David Byng had an easy conversion to reduce Gravesend's lead to a one point.

Darts skipper Matt Smith is back to his best after a long-term injury, and his jinking run made the opening for winger Matt Hellyer to score, with Byng again adding the extra two points to give the home side a 14-8 interval lead.

In the second half, Grave-send were forced to soak up enormous amount of Darts' pressure, with No.8 Nick Byram, winger Tom Williams and centre Dave Stening all going close close, and lock Simon Laws very dominant the line-outs.

But the only score of the second period when Byng booted a well-struck penalty to clinch a tremendous 17-8.

In a curtain-raiser, Darts' under 14s beat their counterparts from Gravesend 36-12 with a hat-trick from Colin Rowe, and a try apiece from Matthew Kirk, David Lockyer and Michael Railton and three conversions from David Will-iams.

This Saturday, the Darts' first-team returns to league acton at Crawley.

Sidcup's hopes of reaching the last eight were dashed by Betteshanger.

The visitors are unbeaten and top of their league one below Sidcup and the home side's cause was not helped by the absence of five regular first-teamers.

Even so, Sidcup could have established a winning lead in the first quarter when not only missed three very kickable penalties, but also a certain score due to wayward passing with try-line begging.

Tony Davies scored a try during this period, which Damien Izzard converted, but points at this stage was a poor return for their superiority and Betteshanger came back strongly to take a 10-7 intervel lead.

Izzard levelled with a penalty, but Betteshanger then successfully kicked two of their own to lead 16-10, and even a late Sidcup rally, when two visiting forwards were sin-binned, they could not score again.

This Saturday, Sidcup entertain Brighton in a league fixture when they will be anxious to reverse their recent defeat. Kick off 2.15pm.

December 19, 2001 9:52