Out of defeat came a victory of sorts for the Kent side as they progressed to the semi-finals of the County Plate Competition by virtue if being best group runners-up. The county now meet Hampshire at Aldershot next Saturday, May 17th, for a place in the final.On the evidence of this game that may be a tall order unless they can bring more composure to their play and learn to put away chances.
East Midlands are a side which have stayed together for a couple of seasons and their greater familiarity and organisation allowed them to score three tries in a dominant first half at Bedford last Saturday.
Poor goal kicking kept the margin to fifteen points by half time but things were looking ominous for a Kent team who, after a bright start, were forced to defend bravely to keep the score in check.
Matters did not improve when East Midlands added a penalty goal nine minutes into the second half but Kent then found a new lease of life.

With the pack taking a firmer grip the county were able to put pace and width into their play. What they failed to do, however, was convert it into points. Both Frankie Neale and Tom Ash came close to scoring but, having worked themselves into good positions either Kent's hands let them down or too much ball was surrendered in contact situations.

The home side themselves missed one glaring try scoring opportunity but Kent created half a dozen which should have brought them back into contention. To add to their frustration a strong case for a penalty try was denied them after East Midlands pulled down a massive driving maul under their own posts.
Kent can take some satisfaction for their improved second half showing but had they possessed a couple of wiser heads who knows what the outcome may have been.

Kent: F.Neale (Blackheath), P.Moyo (Blackheath), A.Moorey (Gravesend) repl G.Gray (Gravesend), M.O'Donnell (Deal & Betteshanger), T.Ash (Thanet Wanderers) repl B.Box (Sheppey), C.Harding (Tunbridge Wells) repl T.Best (Deal & Betteshanger), L.Baldwin (Tunbridge Wells) repl F.Edwards (Wasps), B.McKinnell (Westcombe Park) repl T.Kavanagh (Loughborough Students), J.Tomlinson (Canterbury) repl T.Papworth (Gravesend), S.Croall (Westcombe Park) repl J.Stanford (Blackheath), L.Bellinger (Westcombe Park), W.Thorpe (Westcombe Park), B.Massey (Thanet Wanderers), S.Carroll (Aylesford), T.Carroll (Tonbridge Juddians),

KENT PLATE, VASE AND SALVER FINALS

Three highly competitive games, played in hot sunshine, saw Tunbridge Wells, Old Gravesendians and Sittingbourne take the trophies in the Shepherd Neame Plate, Vase and Salver finals.
For Plate winners Tunbridge Wells, who defeated Beckenham 31-12, it was the second triumph on the Canterbury ground on successive Sunday's. The previous week they won the Kent Spitfire
Sevens competition.

Sittingbourne' 13-9 victory over Park House in the Salver brought the closest result of the day while Old Gravesendians overcame spirited resistance from Medway to win the Salver by 20 points to 12.

COMPETITIONS - COUNTY PLATE CHAMPIONSHIP
KENT 45 BERKSHIRE 14

Kent ran in seven tries as they began their County Championship Plate campaign with a comfortable win over Berkshire at Westcombe Park. With eleven new caps in the side it took the county time to settle and it wasn't until the last eight minutes of the first half that they established real control. Berkshire, who lost heavily to East Midlands in their opening game, replied to Mike O'Donnell's early try with one of their own after 25 minutes and were clearly benefiting from reinforcements drafted in from the Bracknell, Newbury and Reading clubs.

What they did lack, however, and which Kent had in abundance was, real pace. That extra speed surfaced in the minutes leading to half time and produced three long range tries which took Kent into clear water.
The first came from flanker James Lindfield, who took time off from his outstanding ball winning duties, to burst through from his own half for the score. That was quickly followed by eye-catching tries from debutants Prince Moyo and Brad Box. Tom Best's third successful conversion pushed Kent into a 26-7 lead
Injuries and the introduction of replacements prompted a reshuffle in the Kent back division and instead of pushing on from a strong position the side tended to lose its shape in the second half.

Eventually two tries in as many minutes, just past the hour mark, destroyed any faint chance of a Berkshire recovery. A lineout steal and crisp handing set up left wing Tom Ash for his side's fourth try, followed quickly by a Toby Carroll touchdown after Lindfield's burst had created the attacking position.
Best converted the Ash try and added the goal points to his own, final score after scooping up a dropped pass and outpacing the chasing defenders.

A defensive error allowed the visitors the consolation of a late converted try but Kent's only real worries were injuries to props Tim Kavanagh and Jamie Forsyth which are likely to rule them out of next Saturday's far sterner test at East Midlands.

Kent: B.Box (Sheppey), P.Moyo (Blackheath), S.Hamilton (Blackheath), M.O'Donnell (Deal & Betteshanger), repl F.Edwards (Wasps),T.Ash (Thanet Wanderers), T.Best (Deal & Betteshanger),
L.Baldwin (Tunbrdge Wells), T.Kavanagh (Loughborough Students), J.Forsyth (Canterbury). J.Tomlinson (Canterbury) repl J.Knight (Blackheath), B.McKinnell (Westcombe Park), W.Thorpe (Westcombe Park), B. Massey (Thanet Wanderes), S.Carroll (Aylesford) repl L.Bellinger (Wesctombe Park), J.Lindfield (Westcombe Park), T.Carroll (Tonbridge Juddians).

David Haigh. Kent RFU
Tel: 01227 721411; 07986 972 076 (M)

KENT SEVENS

Tunbridge Wells emerged as winners from the 21 clubs taking part in Sunday' s Kent Spitfire Sevens after ousting host club Canterbury in the semi-final.

Their 36-26 victory over Surrey side Warlingham earned Wells both the Hallwood Shield and the Cornwallis county trophy and a top prize worth £1000.

It was the West Kent club''s first victory at the Canterbury event since 1994 but they proved to be a resilient team on a day when the quality of the rugby was the best for several years..
The Plate Competition went to guest side Apaches, who won the main competition last year, with a 21-17 success over Orpington-based Olaf's Axes.

Wells' toughest assignment was a semi-final win over Canterbury, a game they shaded 23-17. Warlingham also met a stern challenge from East Kent in their semi-final, beating Deal and Betteshanger in extra time.

In the final Tunbridge Wells opened a big 26-7 lead by half time but had to survive a spirited recovery from Warlingham before closing out the game with two late tries.