Medway held their nerve to narrowly beat Tunbridge Wells at home on Saturday.

Regional 1 South East’s bottom side Medway won the match 22-17 despite a terrific final 10 minutes from the visitors.

Wells went into the game favourites - chasing fifth place in the table and winning the reverse fixture 30-15 - but Medway finished a tough league season on a high.

This was a match that had been called off earlier in the season because of snow and the Medway ground staff had to work hard to ensure the heavy rain didn’t lead to another postponement at the weekend.

Watched by a big crowd and, for the first time, by new head coach Ricky Reeves, Medway started brightly, determined to end a run of five successive defeats and impress the incoming boss.

The higher-placed side scored first, from spilled possession, but Medway quickly responded. Slick handling by the Medway backs allowed Max Bullock to cross the try line.

One of the tries of the season followed with Medway breaking out of their deep defence. Alfie Orris unselfishly offloaded to the powerful runner Anthony Clement to score. Owen Church-Mills added the conversion for a 12-5 lead.

In a to and fro encounter, Wells hit back on the stroke of half time and the teams went in level.

The conclusion of the match between the local university side “Spartans” & Medway 4th XV Crusaders on an adjacent pitch added to the crowd for the second half.

With the win on their backs, Medway immediately secured possession and ran the ball through the hands of Orris, Bullock and then Connor Chalmers who sped over to score a brilliant try, 17-12. Owen added the extras and increased the lead further by converting a penalty with 15 minutes to go.

Wells responded by upping the intensity and making changes and it needed some terrific defending from man-of-the-match Bullock to keep them out.

Eventually Wells scored a good try in the corner and heading into the final eight minutes, Medway were 22-17 ahead. It’s the way it stayed but the home side had to work hard to ensure it did, picking up their fourth league win of the season.

Medway’s next game is on Saturday, April 1 when Medway host Gloucester rugby club Old Centralians RFC in the Papa John’s Community Cup.