Beckenham made the long journey coach journey to Thanet on a chilly March day but made the trip home on the happy bus as they secured their third victory in a row to maintain their good start to 2010.

Beckenham started the first half with the elements in their favour and made use of their advantage and set up good field position in the Thanet half. A fine take by George Daniels in the line out set up a textbook drive and when the referee’s arm went up to signal the try, Sam Forest emerged with the ball and Ted Mahuratiki was given the opportunity to add the conversion and give the visitors a seven point lead. The home side capitalised on a Beckenham mistake to beak though the centre and after a couple of phases they spread the ball wide to register an unconverted try.

Thanet were making it difficult for Beckenham in the set-piece who were not helped when skipper Pete Thorne spent his customary ten minutes in the cooler. Back to full strength the visitors were putting some good combinations together and after a break by the powerful running Alex Jones the ball was moved out wide and the hosts simply ran out of tacklers and Ted Mahuratiki ran in unopposed. The conversion was missed but the visitors were in a confident mood and looking to try and build a lead for the second half.

However, Thanet had other ideas and scored the try of the match with their winger going over after a great passing movement. The conversion was missed and the defences ruled for the remainder of the half and the score remained at 10 to 12 at the break. The home supporters were in an extremely positive mood, only two points down at half time and with the advantage of the breeze and the slope in the second half.

But the visitors had other ideas and a commanding performance in the second half, built off a very aggressive defence, paved the way for victory. Firstly, Laurence Headlam was on hand to scoop up the loose ball and score following a Jones tackle in midfield and 15 minutes later Headlam chased a James Perry kick, collected and released the supporting Luke Aylward who ran in under the posts.

Both scores were converted by the inform Ted Mahuratiki and Beckenham were looking comfortable with a lead of 10 to 26.

But the home side would not go down without a fight and got themselves back within six points with eight minutes to go with a converted try and a penalty to set up a grandstand finish. But Beckenham finished the stronger, the powerful running of Thorne set up good field position and Vai Mahuratiki was extremely unlucky to have been adjudged not to have touched down as the visitors piled on the pressure.

Thanet briefly mounted another challenge but the visitors defence held out for a deserved victory by 20 to 26.