This match was preluded by one of our league lunches. A great event where we welcomed representatives from Dartfordians to join us in celebrating the season so far. It was a great time to welcome old friends back down the club from far and wide. Special mention to Nick Mott who was over from Dubai and Marc Dennis who travelled up from his new home in Cornwall to join us.

This game was greatly anticipated the ODs knowing full well that this would be one of our hardest tests of the season. The ODs were short of a couple of starting regulars out due to injury, our starting loose head on suspension from an incident against Gillingham Anchorians and, with work causing a delay, Kevin Ilo was forced onto the bench for the start.
Both sides were pumped up before the starting whistle, from a referee who had decided to wear a top that resembled the Darttfordian kit to such an extent he was duly notified by most of the crowd that had gathered on the touch lines.
The whistle went and within 2 mins the ODs had their first big challenge. It was well known that the Darts pack were well drilled from other match reports. The ODs won a free kick for the Darts hooker striking early. With a quick tap and squandered possession Darts kicked to the corner. The ODs won the line out but had a poor clearance which didn't find touch. The ODs winger came in off his touch line to defend leaving a defensive hole for the young Darts 11 to exploit and run half the length of the field fending off 3 more tacklers to score with only 4 minutes on the clock. This was a sucker punch to the ODs who were not expecting such an impressive run. The conversion was successful by the Darts kicker who had an excellent day at aiming for the posts, missing no opportunities to keep the score board ticking over. 0 -7
Straight from the KO the ODs were back under pressure. The Darts second row had to be substituted with an injured shoulder but this didn't ease the pressure the ODs pack was under in the set pieces with the Darts pack seemingly able to push the ODs off the ball at will, the first time anyone has done that this season.
Darts made some good punching runs but the ODs defence held firm until eventually, under pressure, gave away a penalty on their 10m line for hands in a ruck. Normally this would not be a threat of points but again the Dartfordian kicker teed up the ball and slotted a long range effort through the uprights. 0 - 10
Feeling the pressure the ODs came to life with some great runs from Chad Reay, Jean-Pierre Mills and Brad Pugh but eventually getting turned over. Feeling the frustration a silly penalty was given away close to the touch line allowing Darts to kick for touch and make 30m. Darts made an extra 10m from their well drilled rolling maul after the line out. The ODs were able to counter this to some extent driving the maul into touch on the ODs 22. The ODs won the line out but the writing was definitely on the wall. The rolling maul was going to be a tough challenge to defend if it wasn't snubbed out quickly before it gained momentum.
The ODs were showing some of the skill that had seen great wins in the last couple of weeks with surging runs from Graham Purdy but, their clinical finishing always fell short on the final ball from silly mistakes or poor handling.
Their first glimpse of the opposition try line turned up on the 18th minute when the Darts scrum was disrupted at the back by Brent Jones at scrum half, unfortunately not having enough pace to outrun the defence before the ball being grounded for a 22 dropout.
Still struggling in the scrums the ODs gave away a penalty which was kicked to the corner, a familiar pattern for the day. The ODs had worked a counter to Darts' rolling maul from line outs, Antony Faithfull sacking each one before the threat became too great. The pattern for the next 10 minuets was roughly the same, a silly OD penalty with Darts kicking to touch gaining valuable yards. A catch and drive attempted but the line out sacked before it could be formed. There were fleeting attacks from the ODs to get them out of trouble but always being pinned back after a mistake.
At 35 minutes on the ODs 10m line Graham Purdy put in a massive tackle on his opposite number not carrying the ball. In his defence the Darts centre pairing had crossed, unnoticed by the referee, with Purdy tackling the man in front. From a similar position to the successful penalty earlier the Darts kicker stepped up and slotted the 3 points. 0 - 13
With a final surge from the KO the ODs went on the offensive, again to be thwarted by a forward pass and the half time whistle.

With the Darts old school prop going off at half time, this gave some hope for an easier time in the scrums, and the referee being given a change of shirt by his assessor the ODs came out firing. Making great use of the slope Anthony Golding made a surging run and off loading to Mills, Darts gave away a penalty for offside from the resulting ruck. Golding failed to find touch but good chasing from the two OD's wingers, Connelly and Brown, they drove the Darts winger into touch. With the line out won the ODs made surging runs through their tight 5, eventually running out of room and going into touch. This line out was stolen against the head and the ODs dished out a slice of Dartfordians' own medicine by driving a maul 15m for Chad Reay to break off the back and score 10m in from the touch line. The resulting conversion missed but the ODs were on the score sheet 5 minuets into the second half. 5 - 13
Within 2 minutes Darts had reasserted their lead exploiting some loose defence by the ODs for the open side to score under the post and the easy conversion added. 5 - 20
Darts seemed to loose some composure after this score with second half substitute Kevin Ilo making some bursting runs and the forwards stringing together several phrases of play. On 60 mins Darts eventually gave away a penalty which the ODs kicked to the corner. The resulting rolling maul from the line out gained precious yards. After a few pick and gos Jean-Pierre Mills skipped past the last line of defence to score, again the conversion was missed. 10 - 20
With 5 minutes of even play between both sides the OD's pack was again under pressure in the set piece with the return of the Darts tight head. From some open play Darts earned a penalty from an instinctive intentional knock on from Reay in the centres. Darts notching up the 3 points. 10 - 23
Pressure was exerted by both sides, the ODs trying to get back into the game and Darts not letting off. Lee Smith came on for Jon Flook and the scrums seemed to settle down with the added bulk.
With 2 minutes left on the clock the referee issued a penalty when Mills tackled the Darts 9 after the referee had called a scrum over. Darts kicked up to the OD's 22 and formed a rolling maul from the line out. With several pick and gos the ODs eventually gave away a penalty and advantage was being played. After 3-4 phases the advantages was surely used but after what seemed like an age the referee called the play back to the infringement. Darts kicked to the corner again and set up a rolling maul from the line out. With Antony Faithfull not on the field the sack didn't happen and the maul began to pick up momentum with the Darts 6 eventually going over the line and scoring a converted try. 10 - 30
The clock was almost up and Darts pushed for one final score. Being over ambitious they left themselves open to an intercept by Malachi Connolly who ran 70m avoiding tackles, out pacing his opposite winger and fullback to score under the posts. As a sign of how the day had gone the rushed conversion was missed and was all a little too late with the final whistle going off immediately after.

The ODs have a lot to work on over the coming week needing to be more clinical after the first couple of phases. Up next is Uckfield on 25th October, 3pm KO