A game full on incidences and injuries, that was not decided until the final whistle, and it all started with the loss of the Westcliff tight head who was replaced after only seven minutes play.

Slow to get their game together, Gravesend found themselves behind to a try from full back Gregg Bannister after ten minutes play, this was then converted by centre Jack Jones for 7-0.

Before a quarter of the match had been played it was again a home player that was forced to leave the field through injury, Jo Ansell was replaced by Chris Dudman.

Twenty-six minutes on the clock as further penalty successfully struck by Jones stretched the home lead to ten points.

More stoppages for injuries to players from both XVs saw Westcliff forced to bring on their last sub before Gs were to lose Jamie Forsyth; this forced a reshuffle of the Gs pack with Sox Stevens moving into the front row from eight.

With eight minutes of injury time added on, it was well into this when Gravesend got their first points from a George Montgomery penalty for 10-3 at the break, but then Gary Gray was taken off for a blood injury to his head.

A second Montgomery penalty narrowed the scores to 10-6 just after the restart.

It was the big tackles in defence with Ashley Moorey leading the battle in the centre along with Chris Meddings and the back row, that prevented Westcliff capitalising on their abundance if possession.

The second half started with a better display from Gs, and they were scrummaging close to the home line, but were then to lose Remus Necular to a yellow card for interfering in the red zone.

Gray had by this time returned to the field of play wearing the number twenty shirt due to the blood on his own.

Jacob Bacon made way for Chris Hill after ten minutes of the second half as Gs looked to vary their game. Having added his third successful kick between the posts for 10-9, Montgomery then opened the visitors try count to move into the lead, 10-14.

A Montgomery miss before he put his fourth penalty kick between the uprights for 10-17, but Jones was quick to counter this with a success of his own to narrow back to 13-17.

Fewer stoppages for injuries in the second half led to a marginally better game for the spectators, a try for Gravesend’s “Mr Nearly” Temi Okenla with Mongomery adding the extras saw Gs home 13-24, but there is still plenty to work on for the future.

To get a win from possibly less than fifty-per-cent of the possession must bode well for the future when Gs full game starts to come together.

Injury worries will concern the Gravesend coaching staff so early in the season, but if anything Gs have a better depth in their squad than last season.