By Colin Whiteley
Thanet Wanderers RUFC 2s 17 V Dover RFC 2s 23
Tom Stevens captained a good mix of youth and experience who took on near neighbours Dover in the first round of the Kent RFU Shield trophy.
Dover kicked off and were quickly on the attack but too many penalties punctuated the first quarter of the match as the hosts took time to settle. It was thirty minutes before Dover opened the scoring with a well struck penalty from around 30 metres. The last kick of the half saw them double their advantage to 6-0 with a second penalty.
Four minutes into the second half, the visitors went over for a try which was converted. Charlie Panteli knocked over a penalty from distance four minutes later to open Wanderers’ account and make it 13-3. Dover were handling well and an unconverted second try followed five minutes later, near the left touchline.
Big tackles from Harrison Quittenden and Tom Stevens stopped the deficit from widening further, but first Jake McGee and four minutes later, Stevens, were shown yellow cards reducing Wanderers to thirteen players. Quittenden then seized on a loose ball, deep in his own half, and evaded all attempted tackles to touch down under the posts for a fine individual try. Panteli converted to make the score 18-10. His long range penalty attempt then fell just short.
James Whowell raised a cheer as he caught well and tore back at the opposition but the visitors were undaunted and hit back with an unconverted try. Finally back to full strength, Wanderers showed some top quality handling before Stevens touched down for Panteli to convert. Thank you to referee Lewis Franks for his usual calm officiating of a potentially fiery encounter: but now, his whistle soon sounded for full time and snuffed out any hope for Thanet who had lost 23-17.
It was good to see Antony Theodosiou approaching a return to full fitness as he repeatedly broke the opposition line and Harrison Quittenden celebrated his return to competition with a nice try and a solid all round performance. Reagan Doody did well in his first game of the season and Warren Riddell-Bloomfield put in another good performance in the unfamiliar role of hooker. Good luck to Dover for the next round of the Shield, Wanderers will now be in the plate competition.
There is no game for the 2s next week but the first XV will be at home to Dartfordians (Kick Off 2.30 PM) and the 3s are due to play Tunbridge Wells away, also a 2.30pm Kick Off. Your support, as ever, will be very welcome.
SQUAD: James Whowell, Warren Riddell Bloomfield, Mike Whitehead, Reagan Doody, Jake McGee, Kurt Pearson, Beau Teall, Chris Hood, Owen Jordan, Charlie Panteli, Tom Stevens (C ) Hoani French, Sam Elliot, Antony Theodosiou, Harrison Quittenden. SUBS: Jim Oliver, Tom Welsh, Dennis Davies, Ewan Maclean.