TWRUFC 1st XV 31 vs Beckenham 10

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Match Report

Thanet made it four consecutive bonus point wins with a dominant performance over Beckenham 2nds, showcasing excellent teamwork, solid defence, and some thrilling tries.

There were a few changes to the line-up for this fixture: Mirams returned at fullback, McCourt-Welsh slotted in at prop, and Riddell-Broomfield made his first appearance of the season on the flank.

Beckenham started strongly, applying early pressure, but a crucial line-out steal by Long allowed Thanet to clear their lines and push into the opposition’s 22. Good interplay between forwards and backs earned a penalty, which was kicked to the corner. A promising catch-and-drive followed, but strong Beckenham defence forced a turnover, and they cleared their lines.

Playing uphill, Beckenham tried to relieve pressure with a deep kick, but Thanet responded well and earned another penalty, again kicked to the corner. Another catch-and-drive had the line at their mercy, but the ball was unfortunately spilled, allowing Beckenham to escape.

In a moment of danger, Beckenham launched a superb counter-attack from their own 22, with their forwards and backs combining beautifully. Fortunately for Thanet, their winger kicked ahead with the line in sight, and a desperate last-ditch challenge led to a Beckenham penalty. Thanet stole the ensuing line-out and cleared their lines once more.

Thanet continued to apply pressure. Smart link-up play created space for Thompson, resulting in a drop-out on the Beckenham try line. Thanet kept them pinned inside their 22, and after several pick-and-goes from the forwards, Walton sniped over in the corner to open the scoring: 5–0.

Beckenham responded immediately from the restart, earning a penalty which they slotted to make it 5–3.

Thanet continued their dominance, and a flowing move saw the ball moved left through the backs. Thompson showed great footwork to beat the defence and score, with Walton adding the extras: 12–3 at half-time — a scoreline that didn’t quite reflect Thanet’s control, especially playing downhill.

The second half started perfectly for Thanet. Strong defence forced a Beckenham spill from the kick-off. Thompson fly-hacked the loose ball forward, recovered it, and was driven over for his second try. Walton nailed a tough conversion to extend the lead to 19–3.
Thanet continued to press, with Cannon making some powerful runs. Another promising move saw the ball go wide again, with Thompson heading for the corner before popping the ball inside to Mills, who crossed the line — only for the try to be controversially ruled out by the touch judge.

Beckenham, attacking down the slope, knocked on again under pressure. Walton pounced, weaving through defenders to score a superb individual try in the corner: 24–3 (conversion missed).

Beckenham fought back, scoring a converted try after several strong carries from their forwards before spreading it wide to their backs: 24–10.

Thanet had the final say. After another sustained attack, they earned a line-out in Beckenham’s 22. A perfectly executed catch-and-drive from the 22-metre line saw the forwards power over with Smith scoring the try and Walton converting to seal the win: 31–10.
This was an all-round impressive performance from Thanet, with sharp defence, clinical attack, and an outstanding set-piece. The forward coaches in particular will have enjoyed the dominance up front.

Coaches' Man of the Match was Giotto McCourt-Welsh for his powerful scrummaging and dynamic ball carrying.

Tries:

Conversions:

Penalties: None

Drop Goals: None