Sidcup 5 v 20 Maidstone

Rugby Union London 2 South League

SIDCUP kicked off the new year hosting Maidstone in a match which promised to be tense as both teams are languishing at the wrong end of the Powergen London League Two South table.

Neither sides have found form in the first half of the season Sidcup winning only three of their first 12 games and Maidstone winning just one more.

But in a game littered with mistakes it was Maidstone who managed to finish on top, rising one place in the league to ninth and forcing Sidcup to stay second from bottom.

Sidcup kicked off and quickly gained possession and with good work from the whole team they worked their way up to Maidstone's 22-yard line.

The visitors conceded a penalty in the third minute giving Sidcup the chance to open the scoring but fly-half Richard Pilgrim failed keeping the score at 0-0.

Maidstone kicked back to Sidcup and a 30m break by inside centre Nick Roddis pinned Maidstone back in their half but another opportunity to open the scoring was missed by Sidcup when Pilgrim again failed with another penalty.

A series of knock-ons and dropped balls followed and neither team managed to keep possession for any length of time.

The score was opened on 18 minutes when Sidcup gave away a penalty inside their 22 and Maidstone's scrum-half Craig Whitehead hit it for 3-0.

The mistakes continued and a series of missed tackles by Sidcup allowed the visitors to extend their score three minutes later through a converted try from tight-head prop Scott McIlroy.

Sidcup restarted the game and Maidstone immediately kicked the ball into touch giving the hosts a line out on Maidstone's 10m line.

It was easily won by Sidcup and passed straight out to the backs where another good run by Roddis and well-timed passing by the back line allowed Pilgrim to go over the try line.

Unfortunately Pilgrim failed to convert his own try making the half-time score 5-10 to the visitors.

The second half was played in much the same way as the first with plenty of scrums, line outs and kicks deterring either team from retaining possession for too long.

Sidcup's best chance came from a line out on Maidstone's 5m line when the forwards won the ball cleanly and a driving maul was quickly set up but Maidstone's forwards held them off with rugged defence.

From another Sidcup line out the hosts failed to catch the ball and gave it away to Maidstone who punished them for their mistake with a 25m drive forward allowing hooker Tom Rogers to touch the ball down and score their second converted try making the score 5-17.

Sidcup put up a good fight with some great tackling, particularly from 17-year-old Rob McDonald who replaced Phil Keats in the 60th minute, pinning Maidstone back.

But they sealed their fate shortly after when they gave away a penalty for not rolling away in a tackle and Maidstone took another three points in the last score of the match.

Sidcup captain Danny Mizen said: "If passion provided points I believe we would be top of the league but our execution lets us down.

"If we put together our perfect game I believe there is no team we couldn't beat."

Despite the result club president Phil West was positive they will remain in London League 2 South at the end of the season.

He said: "With six games to play at home our destiny is in our own hands. I am sure with all the hard work the players, coaches and club committee are undertaking we will be able to remain in this league."

MATCH FACTS: SIDCUP: Amura; R Roddis; Keates (McDonald); N Roddis; Evans; Pilgrim; Cosh; Mclean; Wilson; Pooley (Vas); Mizen; Rankin; Cooper; Walters; Whitford.

SUBS NOT USED: West.