MAIDSTONE
Maidstone
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Article provided by Bob Hayton
M
aidstone Rugby Club is very much a community establishment based in Kent’s county town and very much
projects itself as being the county town’s rugby club. Maidstone has probably enjoyed a period of unprecedented
success in recent seasons following what was a difficult period for the club that saw it fall to the depths of London
3(SE) in 2011, to what was the lowest tier at which it had ever been placed.
In many ways this was the
catalyst for the club to take
a long hard look at itself and
start to rebuild, the following
2011-12 season was a difficult
time, with many of the clubs
in the division looking on their
fixtures against the club as a
bit of a cup final for them. A
poor start to the campaign
meant that the old adage of
“you can’t win the league in
the first month, but you can
certainly lose it” looked like
coming true as the club lost
ground that it was never able
to make up in the rest of the
campaign, finishing fourth
and a bit off the pace of the
leading sides. However, a
good run in the RFU Senior
Vase saw the side take the
London & SE Divisional title
before narrowly losing out
in the national semi-finals to
eventual cup winners Wells.
Determined not to make the
same mistake the following
season the 2012-13 campaign
saw the club take the league
title at a canter with an
unbeaten
season
during
which they also retained their
London & SE Division Senior
Vase title, but again falling
short in the semi-final as they
went out to a Drybrook side
that they really should have
beaten.
Moving up a division into
London 2(SE) for the 2013-14
season, the side never looked
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20 Issue 57
out of place and looking back
they probably should have
taken the league title. A failure
to play the percentages to
close out tight games and take
their scoring opportunities
eventually saw them finish
runners up, and then narrowly
missing out on promotion in
the playoffs.
After the disappointment of
missed promotion and under
a revised coaching team led by
former player Paul Hathaway,
supported by ex-1st XV captain
Steve Milward (Forwards
Coach) and former Harlequin
Stuart Thresher (Backs Coach)
in combination with 1st XV
skipper Ben Williams a series
of objectives for the 2014-15s
campaign were drawn up.
Top of those priorities was to
secure promotion by winning
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