Sat 17 Feb 2024, 14:30
All picture courtesy of AD Photography
A fierce defence saw Aylesford Bulls take five points from an encounter with a bulky Dartford Valley outfit.
Bulls line speed kept Valley at bay for much of the first half, even when reduced to 13 men after Jack Ireland and then Paul Cooper were sent to the bin for straying offside.
The hosts produced a mature performance belying the side’s relative youth, scrum half Fin Ashdown-Denney, a product of Bulls’ strong youth section, shining on debut and Ryan Fuller marking his 50th appearance with a solid display at full back.
Bulls line speed kept Valley at bay for much of the first half, even when reduced to 13 men after Jack Ireland and then Paul Cooper were sent to the bin for straying offside.
The hosts produced a mature performance belying the side’s relative youth, scrum half Fin Ashdown-Denney, a product of Bulls’ strong youth section, shining on debut and Ryan Fuller marking his 50th appearance with a solid display at full back.
Bulls struck first through winger Russell Trundle with Chester Clough adding the extras and then courtesy of captain Ben Pass who pounced on a stray line out ball. Clough again converted.
Valley hit back after sustained try line pressure, barrelling through defenders and touching down next to the posts. But Clough denied them two more points by charging down the kick.
He was then on hand to stretch Bulls lead with a penalty in the opening phases of the second half.
After half an hour of relative stalemate winger Barnaby Brown finished a training ground move strongly out wide to bring Bulls to within a score of a bonus point.
It fell to Ed Mead, playing at number eight but popping up in the midfield, to put the icing on the cake, gathering from outside the 22 and outpacing the opposition winger to slide over in the corner and bring the final score to 27-5.
Bulls now have a week off before travelling to Westcombe Park on March 2.
Valley hit back after sustained try line pressure, barrelling through defenders and touching down next to the posts. But Clough denied them two more points by charging down the kick.
He was then on hand to stretch Bulls lead with a penalty in the opening phases of the second half.
After half an hour of relative stalemate winger Barnaby Brown finished a training ground move strongly out wide to bring Bulls to within a score of a bonus point.
It fell to Ed Mead, playing at number eight but popping up in the midfield, to put the icing on the cake, gathering from outside the 22 and outpacing the opposition winger to slide over in the corner and bring the final score to 27-5.
Bulls now have a week off before travelling to Westcombe Park on March 2.
