Gravesend RFC survived a determined second-half fightback by Dover to record an opening day London 1 South victory.

They led 22-0 at half-time but were on the back foot for much of the second half and were hanging on at the end as Dover responded with 16 unanswered points.

Dover kicker Blair Charge missed a simple penalty and the visitors were denied a probable late try when the referee spotted a forward pass.

Ziggy Stevens (2) and Adam Bishop scored Gravesend’s tries with Gary Gray kicking a penalty and two conversions. Nick Ford’s try, and a conversion and three penalties by Charge, inspired Dover’s brave but vain revival .

Stevens opened the scoring, finishing a move set up by hooker Terry Papworth but Gray missed the conversion. He was more successful with a 25-metre penalty to make it 8-0.

A second try from Stevens near the posts followed good work by prop Nathan Lines at a maul and then Bishop raced away to score in the corner, Gray adding the conversion with a fine effort from the touchline.

Charge’s penalty reduced the arrears, soon after the restart, and set the tone for the second-half. Full-back Ford added a try, Charge converted it and then kicked two more penalties to reduce the deficit to six points.

Things became heated and a late tackle on Gray earned Gravesend a penalty, which they missed, but a punch on the same player went unpunished.

A late penalty from Charge hit the upright before Dover looked to have scored until the referee intervened, much to the relief of the home side.