OLD Gravesendians have been slowly improving in recent weeks and with the team more settled, Saturday’s 39-5 win over Whitstable showed the improvement was not just temporary but based on firm foundations.

Alex Rea claimed an early try, the first of a well-deserved hat-trick.

Whitstable replied when their fly half collected his own kick ahead and ran the length of the field.

It took a piece of opportunist play from captain Michael Hodge to break the 5-5 deadlock.

In his own half, he chipped ahead over a flat defence, gathered his kick and headed for the corner.

He dived in to score and give his side some much needed impetus just before the break.

The second half was mainly one-way traffic, Gravesendians ran in five tries and Whitstable slowly wilted under the battering from the Old Gs pack.

Rea added two more tries, with Mark Fenton-Smith, Hodge again and Matt Johnson adding three more.

Elsewhere in Kent One, Vigo are fourth after they triumphed 22-17 against Beccehamian, while New Ash Green sit 10th following a heavy 33-0 home defeat at the hands of Ashford.

Dartfordians stay bottom of London Three SE following a 41-19 reverse against Crawley.