Charlton Park's season got off to a disappointing start as they fell to a 39-21 defeat against a sharp and well-organised Maidstone side at Broad Walk.

The visitors deserved their victory, controlling proceedings for large periods and making the most of their opportunities. From the opening whistle, Park struggled to find any real rhythm and never truly managed to get a foothold in the contest. While there were moments of promise, too many errors and a lack of consistency allowed Maidstone to dictate the game.

In truth, it took Park around 60 minutes to get going. By that stage the visitors had already built a commanding lead and, despite a spirited final-quarter response, the hosts were left with too much to do. The late rally showed what this side is capable of, but it also highlighted the frustration of not reaching those levels earlier in the match.

Fair play to Maidstone, who were excellent throughout. Their half-back pairing was particularly influential. The scrum-half was a livewire in more ways than one, constantly probing around the fringes and keeping Park's defence honest, while the fly-half produced a sublime kicking display that repeatedly turned the hosts around and controlled territory.

Park's coaches and players will know standards need to improve. There were individual bright spots, but collectively the side was below the levels shown during pre-season and lacked the intensity required to compete for the full 80 minutes.

The challenge now is to learn from the defeat and respond quickly. Next week sees Charlton Park travel to Aylesford Bulls, and there is no doubt that the squad will be looking for a much-improved performance. The season is only just beginning, but Park know they need to kickstart their campaign and show what they are really capable of.

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