Mal Graves described Whitstable's home victory over Maidstone 2nds on Saturday as the best performance in his time at the club.

The friendly at Reeves Way was organised after scheduled Kent 2 opponents Snowdown had cried off and player-coach graves said the Blues were excellent value for their 27-7 win.

He added: "Saturday's game was a real indicator of where we are as a club at the moment. The last time we played a second team of that stature was when we played Medway and they taught us a lesson, in all aspects but Saturday's was the best performance in my time here."

"The boys were fantastic. It was a top drawer performance, professional, polished and clinical. we created five chances and took four of them, we defended with organisation and i could not fault them."

"I give them a kick up the backside when they fall below the standards i expect and a pat on the back when they do well and on Saturday they were excellent."

Whitstable's try scorers were skipper Ben Cliff, Bobby Powell, Jamie Piggins and Andy Newman with Andrew Huey kicking two conversions and a penalty.

Graves picked out No.7 Sam Holness as Whitstable's man-of-the-match and was pleased with the return at full back of James Garland, after long-term shoulder problem.

Snowdon's forfeiture handed Blues a 40-0 walkover win and they will start the new year in second, two points adrift of Brockleians, the only team to have beaten them so far.

The league season resumes with a home game against Dartford Valley on Saturday, January 6, and Graves is in no doubt Blues will be a Kent 1 outfit next season.

He added: "We've had an excellent first half of the season. We're fitter than any other team in the division and the boys just know he framework and structure so well now, unless we get a catastrophic run of injuries, i fully expect us to be promoted."

Match report credit to KM group.