Westcombe Park 45 Medway 10: Regional 1 South East match report

Medway suffered their heaviest defeat of the season with a 45-10 thrashing at Regional 1 South East leaders Westcombe Park.

Both teams were happy to get the game on in marginal conditions but the home side's quality proved too much for Taff Gwilliam's side, especially in the second half when they racked up 21 unanswered points to leave Medway 10th in the standings ahead of this weekend's clash against fellow strugglers Sidcup.

Gwilliam said: "We competed well in the second quarter but that is not enough against the best team in the league.

"They were strong and powerful and thoroughly deserved their victory. We will need to improve if we are to have any chance next week against rivals Sidcup."

Westcombe showed why they top the standings with a 19-point lead after only 15 minutes. Poor Medway kicking, combined with poor defending, allowed Park, led by the outstanding Nick Cook, to score three tries, two of which were converted.

Medway, despite their shocking start, showed character and the front row of Jack Nickalls, captain Billy Sandison and Maik Timmerman started to dominate their counterparts. The last 20 minutes of the first half belonged to the visitors and a series of phases, then a good, hard line run by Sean Marriott, off Max Bullock, saw Marriott score with Owen Church- Mills adding the conversion.

From the kick off Medway drove into the home half. Westcombe were penalised for a ruck offence and Church-Mills kicked the penalty to reduce the arrears to nine. It could have been less, but Church-Mills fell just short of the try line.

The second half belonged to the home side, whose pace and power told. Medway failed to look after their own possession, gifting Westcombe on several occasions, and they ran in three