Admittedly, Edenbridge were short handed for this Easter match held annually since 2002, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and in honour to the fact that both clubs were founded in the year of her Silver Jubilee in 1977.

The Villagers have never before won so emphatically however and as might be expected, records tumbled.  During this romp at some point East Peckham scored their 13,000th competitive point maintaining a relatively healthy differential over some 30 years.  Full back Tim Shave notched two to bring him to number 15 in the all time try scoring list overtaking Pete Hale.  Centre Will Russell scored his first hat trick and scrum half Marc Wright with a brace and flanker Andy Bacon both scored their 10th tries for the club.  Other try scorers were centre Paul Gloyn, wing Matt Johnston and lock Simon Masters.  Len Sherwood had a good game at prop.

Flanker Chris Masters became the club’s 30th equal most capped player with Andy De’Ath, Bacon 26th overtaking Mike Haffenden and No 8 Danny Baker became 16th equal most capped with Mike Dann.

It fell to No 8 Seb Bryce to lead a forward charge, grabbing the match by the scruff of the neck and driving the hard yards off the base of the scrum.  This enabled the forwards to gain momentum and settle the home side down.  It was Bryce in fact who scored first for Peckham driving over and then blindside flanker Tom Phillips emulated this driving play after full back Harry Carden had nudged over a penalty and a conversion.  Scrum half Marc Wright then found a half gap and popped to openside flanker Chris Masters who weaved through the forwards and then outpaced the covering backs in am astonishing and thrilling run into the top left corner.  Going uphill, this was essentially game over and league won fair and square.

Maidstone stuck to their task admirably and sportingly, but by now the home team were in their groove and tries followed from scrum half Wright on a typical lancing run, and while none of the threequarters made the scoresheet, wings Ben Viney and George Pierce and centre James Chalk all enjoyed strong runs, one being finished off by Carden, another by Phillips in his last competitive match for the Club.  Skipper Chris Reeves back on top form after injury threw a dummy to go under the posts unopposed and Bryce capped his man of the match display with a fine pushover try.  Carden converted three of the second half tries to end with 16 points.

Next year East Peckham face promotion although to which league remains unclear.

For a one team outfit this has been an accomplished season with all credit due to the entire squad.

Mid Kent & East Sussex Merit Table B
Gravesend IV 0  East Peckham 34

East Peckham had to win this match to keep a hard chasing Medway at bay, all the more necessary because on the same day Medway thrashed second placed Weavering.  The times that the Villagers have journeyed to Gravesend and won can be counted on one hand but they came and did it to leave the prospect of turning out a side in their final league match against Maidstone to avoid the forfeit and therefore be in an unstoppable position.  It will be a strange event if the league is actually decided the second either side kicks off at Putlands at 3pm on 18th April 2009, never mind the result.

Of course Peckham will wish to do it in maximum style as here in Gravesend.  Exhorted to greater achievement than the previous week by coach Tim Shave, nerves were appropriately dealt with and the slope advantage taken meaning that the blocks had to be left fast.  Centre Anthony Chalk has scored critical tries all season and it was his high speed, mazy run in the first two minutes that opened the floodgates and started the spree.  Minutes later he was off on another similar run this time into the left corner feeding fellow centre Will Russell for fly half Harry Carden to make the difficult conversion and provide a decent cushion at the same time recording his 100th point for the club.  Sadly Chalk then suffered a freak injury which at the time was a suspected broken leg after only 12 minutes and play was held up for the next 20 as treatment was afforded.  Happily it turned out not to be as serious as feared whilst necessitating a hospital visit.  Chalkie had done his damage however.

Shave came on as a replacement full back and immediately and appropriately settled the match.  Speeding off down the right wing he changed pace, dummied and then using wing Ben Viney as a foil, outrageously dummied to touch down in the right corner.  Job done.  In a half of many stoppages, No 8 Seb Bryce who had an outstanding all round game crashed through for a try and Viney scored too for Carden to convert in an otherwise unproductive kicking game.  Turning round 29-0 ahead, East Peckham only had to hold out for 20 minutes to be completely assured of victory but James Chalk had to leave the field with serious grass burns to the side of his face to be replaced by Tom Phillips and prop Martin Clifton who had given his all was ably replaced by Lenny Sherwood.  Fellow front row Kev Turner and Graham McIntosh were steady under fire bolstered up by lock Simon Cathcart especially in a period of goal line defence.  Chris Masters performed his usual wonders at the front of the lineout and around the park with scrum half Marc Wright dictating play even when scrums went uncontested. 

The clinching score came when skipper Lee Walker left his wing and cut inside finding lock Andy Bodle who passed on to full back Paul Gloyn for the final try of the match.  Next week East Peckham face Edenbridge at Putlands for the Jubilee Cup, kick off 3pm.

Mid Kent & East Sussex Merit Table B
Footscray II 5  East Peckham 17

The Villagers nervously edged closer to their season's goal and maintained pressure on the chasing pack as Weavering beat Lordswood to go second, but Medway still have a game in hand.

Having had a week off, the gusty wind and threatening showers always meant this would be a scrappy affair and as ever Footscray's heavier forwards came out looking for a match.  Their fly half was the main source of trouble early on however until he was eventually marshalled by an injury allowing him only to step off one foot.  Footscray were imperious in the lineout but East Peckham were magnificent in the scrum with the ever so solid Kev Turner pivotal at tighthead and despite the early loss of loosehead Graham McIntosh.  Skipper Chris Reeves' hooking and the early working over manfully endured by Martin Clifton ensured that in this area at least the visitors could always apply the screw.

It was Footscray who scored first though which knocked Peckham out of a degree of complacency despite some early drives by centres Anthony Chalk and Will Russell with wing Lee Walker and full back Paul Gloyn.  The conversion under the posts was missed rather casually and this allowed East Peckham a half time advantage as against the elements fly half Harry Carden chipped ahead and Russell was beaten by the post but Chalk was on hand for Carden to finish off what he started with an important kick.

In the second half Footscray pushed hard but with the wind now against them they faced a tall order.  Despite this, East Peckham missed two penalties, and two drop goal attempts, one a close long range effort from replacement full back Steve Guthrie winning his 50th cap, but Carden did goal one penalty before scrum half Marc Wright scored a superb solo try in picking up from the base of a scrum and making a beeline under the posts for Carden to convert.  Turner moved across the set piece to bolster it up and the Villagers made some good work of goalline defence to deny Footscray any way back into the match as flanker Chris Masters finally felt able to disrupt the home team's lineout to set up a thrilling prospect next week away to Gravesend.