Maidstone opened the scoring through the boot after some Combe indiscipline made the penalty kick relatively simple. Combe then went down to 14 players after a tackle off the ball but a slick passing move from the Tigers produced the first score finished off by Matt Smith. The conversion was missed making it 5-3. On the half hour mark Maidstone regained the lead from a penalty in front of the posts and then moved further ahead with a line-out catch and drive resulting in a try out wide to make it 5-11.

The Goddington Dene side hit back, again with a slick passing move finished off by Luke Collado making it 10-11 as the conversion went wide. A third penalty for Maidstone made the half0time score 10-14.

Three minutes into the second period Combe took full advantage of a scrum on the visitors’ 22 to release their backs and took the lead through Hook for the first time at 15-14. But a second yellow card for a goal line offence weakened the Combe defence and a tap and for resulted in a second try for the visitors. From the re-start Maidstone made a mess of the exit and a grubber kick was picked up by debutant winger Fiffi Asafu-Adajaye who scored in the corner to make it 20-19.

It was very much a case of Maidstone forwards gaining territory but the Combe backs more threatening than their opposite numbers. And it was those forwards that drove over the Combe line for a converted try to restore Maidstone’s lead at 26-20. The visitors’ discipline had been good but they coughed up a penalty at a 22m line out and a quick tap resulted in a try making it a one point game with under 10 minutes on the clock.

Combe were then put under the cosh on their own line but defended stoutly and the ball was coughed up. Combe openside Petty picked up the loose ball and sprinted the length of the pitch to give Combe the victory at 30-26.

A good start to the season for Combe but Maidstone will be a touch disappointed to come away with only the losing bonus point.