BEHIND 8-0 at the break, good pressure from the Gravesend forwards earned penalty chances for full-back Dave Dorton to put Gs on the board.

But in front 8-9 at the end of the third quarter, it was again failure to hold on to the ball when in possession that proved costly at the end of the game.

With teams appearing to be evenly matched it took an interception to break the deadlock, and as Bishops broke away through the centre, last ditch tackles were not enough to keep open-side flanker Aaron Springer from getting over for the touch-down.

The conversion miss from Tom Coleman left the score on 5-0 after eight minutes.

A tight game up front was brightened by the injection of pace by Dave Dorton as he joined the Gs attack, only for possession to be lost at the break-down.

Two penalty misses from Dorton were matched by Coleman as both struggled to find the target.

Gravesend’s Sox Stevens along with Keepa Mewett led the charge for the visitors, but turn-over ball allowed the home backs chances to attack, only to be brought to heel by the tackling of Ian Harman and Rab Forbes, supported by fly-half Gary Gray and Ashley Moorey in the centre.

So many stoppages as a number of home players sought attention from their physio, and it was not until the sixth minute of an added eight, that Coleman but the ball between the uprights with a well struck penalty and 8-0 at half-time.

Stortford made the most significant decision of the game as they replaced the lack lustre Harry Marner, during the break, and brought on Simon Wasley on the right wing.

Three minutes from the break, and the home backs were caught off-side as Gs put their opposite numbers under pressure, and Dorton put his kick over for Gravesend’s first points for 8-3.

More mistakes and lost possession by the visitors allowed the home backs to launch their own attacks with Boyle and full-back Rae causing problems for Gs.

It was further transgressions by the home forwards that helped Gravesend back into the game, as Dorton slotted over on fifty-five then fifty-eight minutes, and the lead for the first time at 8-9.

At the end of the third quarter, skipper Mark McCraith was shown yellow and received ten minutes in the sin bin for repeated offences.

The significance of the home change at half-time was seen, as Gravesend again lost possession and failed to make their tackles count, Stortford found their wing free and his pace was too much for a desperate Gs defence as he raced away for a well worked try, to which Coleman added the conversion.

Less than two minutes had passed before Wasley was again on hand to receive the ball, just short of his own ten metre line, again his determined running took him through the defence and saw him run round to score.

This time an easier kick for Coleman went wide but the home XV were comfortably in control with the scores at 20-9.

As has been common place this season Gravesend’s fight back again came in the last ten minutes of play.

A well struck field penalty from Dorton, gave Gs the five metre line-out, with ball won and recycled, this enabled Sox Stevens to drive over for a try, Dorton secured the extra points to narrow the gap to 20-16.

Good defence from the home XV as the light faded ensured them the four win points, but Gs were again close enough in defeat for a bonus point that keeps them in sixth place in the league.

Some real positives were seen on the park for Gravesend, as the young wing-forwards in Harman and Forbes put in some big hits, and were in support of the ball carrier throughout the game.

Dorton added another dimension as he joined the line, and with the amount of ball won, less mistakes would certainly have made a difference to the outcome.

Next week home to Diss.

Gravesend: Dorton, Bishop A, Moorey, Bishop T, Goss, Gray, Clement, Lines, Papworth, Forsyth, Mewett, Stevens, Z, Harman, Forbes, Stevens. Rep: Warner, Irvine, Gwynne