With Malcolm Barnes having to spend the majority of the match off the pitch as he was treated for split lip, Guernsey struggled to carve out the openings their strong backline promised.

Indeed, their only try was a penalty score which was converted in front of the posts by Glen Walters.

It was our No. 10, Walters, who had kicked us ahead with an early penalty, but disappointingly it was our only score of the half which ended with the visitors 12-3 ahead.

Guernsey were desperate for an early score when the sides returned after the break with the heavens having truly opened and they got it courtesy of the penalty try, but as hard as they tried, their handling was not at its best and Gravesend defended resolutely.

Barnes turned to the fray with 20 minutes or so remaining, but there was no concerted pressure and a couple of Montgomery penalties, the second very late on, sealed our fate.

The head coach as critical of his side’s performance.

‘We did not even look like playing any rugby in the first half,’ he said.

‘Defensively today, we played poorly and if you are going to look for any positives, you are just going to be scratching around.’

‘Malcolm’s loss disrupted us, but with the weather the way it was, it did not make a huge difference,’

‘But I do not want to take anything away from Gravesend because they played a great game and deserved the win.

‘They wanted it more than we did and attitudes need to be checked.’