Sat 9 Nov 2024, 14:00
Aylesford Bulls travelled to unbeaten Thanet with a point to prove.
Buoyed by an impressive victory against Maidstone two weeks previously and still smarting from tougher results earlier in the season, a win on the coast could well get a misfiring season back on track.
In the end, positives can be taken from a game which ultimately went down to the wire but having lead 5-27 with 55 minutes played this loss will be especially hard to take.
Bulls, fresh from a 90-minute coach journey, started uncharacteristically quickly, racing into a 17-point lead with converted tries from Fin Ashdown-Denney and Barnaby Brown and a penalty from Ashdown-Denney.
Thanet hit back with a five-pointer before experienced scrum half Luke Curtis pounced, plucking a telegraphed pass out of the air and showing a clean pair of heels to canter in from his own half. Ashdown-Denney again added the extras to take the half time score to 5-24.
Thanet rallied in the second period but it would take another Bulls penalty and 15 minutes of play before they’d see any return from sustained periods of pressure.
Unfortunately for the visitors once the hosts had got a taste for scoring they were keen to continue, making short work of Bulls’ hard-won 22-point lead.
Over the course of a relentless 25 minutes Thanet crossed four more times, evident quality which has seen them climb to the top of Counties Two on full display after a below par opening forty.
Bulls travelled home with a measly losing bonus point, having found themselves on the wrong end of a 34-27 score line. Now seventh in the league they’ll look to make amends against Dartford Valley at the Jack Williams Ground this Saturday.
Bulls 2nd XV had better luck, beating Thanet 14-36.
Bulls Ladies beat Beckenham 2nd XV 31-0 at home on Sunday to continue a remarkable start to the season. They are yet to concede a point in six games.
Buoyed by an impressive victory against Maidstone two weeks previously and still smarting from tougher results earlier in the season, a win on the coast could well get a misfiring season back on track.
In the end, positives can be taken from a game which ultimately went down to the wire but having lead 5-27 with 55 minutes played this loss will be especially hard to take.
Bulls, fresh from a 90-minute coach journey, started uncharacteristically quickly, racing into a 17-point lead with converted tries from Fin Ashdown-Denney and Barnaby Brown and a penalty from Ashdown-Denney.
Thanet hit back with a five-pointer before experienced scrum half Luke Curtis pounced, plucking a telegraphed pass out of the air and showing a clean pair of heels to canter in from his own half. Ashdown-Denney again added the extras to take the half time score to 5-24.
Thanet rallied in the second period but it would take another Bulls penalty and 15 minutes of play before they’d see any return from sustained periods of pressure.
Unfortunately for the visitors once the hosts had got a taste for scoring they were keen to continue, making short work of Bulls’ hard-won 22-point lead.
Over the course of a relentless 25 minutes Thanet crossed four more times, evident quality which has seen them climb to the top of Counties Two on full display after a below par opening forty.
Bulls travelled home with a measly losing bonus point, having found themselves on the wrong end of a 34-27 score line. Now seventh in the league they’ll look to make amends against Dartford Valley at the Jack Williams Ground this Saturday.
Bulls 2nd XV had better luck, beating Thanet 14-36.
Bulls Ladies beat Beckenham 2nd XV 31-0 at home on Sunday to continue a remarkable start to the season. They are yet to concede a point in six games.
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