3rd Nov 2007 - London SE4 League Beccehamian 17 - Whitstable 10 Beccs move up to 3rd in the League with a home win againt Whitstable. After just 10 mins Beccs were in control of this fixture and ran out deserved but narrow winners. As recent history has proved this fixture was always going to a very close and physical contest. Determined to start the game on the front foot Beccs started well through their forwards by driving mauls off line-outs, carrying the ball over the gain line from the base of rucks and were assisted by a clever tactical kicking game again from fly-half Jim Bryan which pushed Beccs into the visitors half. Ten minutes into the game, after slow ball from a line-out, and on one of Whitstable’s first visits to the Beccs half, their fly-half attempted a drop goal 25yards out, 15 yards infield but miss-kicked it and the ball fell into the hands of full-back Neil Paige. Paige burst through the following up midfield defence and used his exceptional pace to beat all remaining defenders cantering 70yards to score under the posts. Joe Goodwillie added the conversion, 7-0. Beccs continued in their attacking vain inside the Whitstable half and for the next 15 minutes the home pack made the hard yards with clever off-loading. Aided by an increasing penalty count against Whitstable, Bryan played for territory into the corners. On 25mins an attacking line-out 8 meters from the Whistable line, was caught and driven over the line by the pack, 2nd row Ian Anderson returning from injury emerged from the pile of bodies with the ball for a try. The successful convertion by Goodwillie brought the score to 14-0. Whitstable’s determined defence prevented Beccs adding to the score line before half time. Phil Reid replaced Matt Appleton at prop during the break. Playing down the slope in the 2nd half Beccs may have thought the game was won, but should have known better that Whitstable would not give up without a fight. Their packs' rolling mauls put Beccs on the back foot and stretched the defence. Tactical kicking from the fly-half’s big boot pushed them up field and he gave Whitstable 3 points with a long range penalty on 50 mins, 14-3. Youngster and Academy graduate, Dan Harding replaced Anderson on 55 mins and made a big impression creating turnovers and making some essential tackles in partnership with the hard working pack. Whitstable spent the 2nd half attacking Beccs as they had done to Whitstable in the 1st half. However, a well organised Beccs defence and some thumping tackles kept them at bay together with Bryan kicking Beccs out of trouble. Beccs extended the lead with a penalty in front of the posts converted by Goodwillie on 60mins, 17-3. Dave Matthews replaced Kemp at centre with 10 mins to go. With the clock running down whitstable kept attacking, they managed to suck in a lot of the solid defence and scored in the corner, the fly-half slotting a difficult conversion to ensure a tense finale. Great to have prop Stuart Hayler back for his first 1st XV start following a broken leg in the same fixture in January 2006, he well deserved his man of the match drink. Beccs face a difficult test away to 2nd placed Hove next week.