1st XV win in style at Eastbourne

London 3 South East Eastbourne 1stXV 12 Folkestone 1stXV 37
Saturday 21st November 2015 Report from Alex Ruddock

Leaving Folkestone in high winds and rain the journey to Eastbourne was without incident and on arrival the clouds were scurrying across a blue sky with the sun out, but “boy” was it cold!
Folkestone started with the slope advantage and a diagonal wind into the bottom left corner.
jon Morton started the first foray into the Eastbourne half with a well placed kick into their 22 where their full back fielded the kick at the same time as being tackled by young scrumhalf Doug Wood. Folkestone were rewarded with a scrum from which No8 and human dynamo Chris Petley picked up and made ten metres before being tackled. The ensuing Eastbourne scrum saw them win the ball and kick up-field to the halfway, where in the resultant maul and ruck, the E’s were penalised for holding on. Jon Morton’s kick found touch back down in the oppositions 22 where the “salmon like leap” of Will Turner won the ball allowing the three-quarters to put together the best passing sequence of the season with Chris Petley linking with Doug Wood who set Jon Morton away to unload to John Eustace and Kyle Deakin before Seyhan Fell came in from full back to offload to Jeremie Cowell on the wing. Not one dropped or forward pass! however in the resultant ruck the ‘Stones were penalised for holding on. Eastbourne breathed a sigh of relief and put the penalty kick into touch back up the field. Unfortunately for them Folkestone won the lineout and the backs were again in rampant mood with Jeremie Cowell eventually going over to score in the corner in the 11th minute. 0-5. Seyhan Fell’s kick drifting wide.
From the ‘Bournes restart the backs collected the ball and had another marauding run downfield with Jon Morton, Harry Smith and John Eustace inter-passing before John Eustace scored a try wide out, again a missed conversion. 0-10.
The ‘Bourne restarted but again Folkestone attacked straight away with the forwards doing their bit with Tom Carvill, Jake Ellis, Chris Petley and Will Turner fully involved which ended in the ‘Bournes 22 area just wide of the posts when they were penalisedfor not releasing the ball carrier. This time Seyhan Fell beat the wind and score the extra three points. 0-13. I then realised that only 20 minutes had been played in the first half!
Shortly afterwards from a scrum on the half way Seyhan Fell came into the line again and made a great diagonal run to link with young winger Harry Smith who accelerated round the despairing Eastbourne defence to score close to the posts. 0-18, Seyhan Fell added the extra points. 0-20.
From the restart Jake Ellis caught the ball and bulldozed through several tackles before offloading to Harry Smith who was again away like the wind, unfortunately the Referee adjudged the pass to be forward! Soon Folkestone were awarded a penalty which Jon Morton kicked into the bottom left corner ten metres out, from the resulting lineout Folkestone pack drove forward and over the line for Chris Petley to score a well deserved try. Half Time 0-25.
That was about the end of the first half, one which had seen Folkestone gain their fourth try and a bonus point, a display of some wonderful inter-passing of the ball and great running lines by the backs. Backs Coach Marc Spearpoint must have been well pleased that his strategies had eventually come to fruition, as well as Coach Leigh Fitchie who seemed to have a much inflated chest as he came on to give the half time talk!
However the second half, up-hill against the wind, was to pose problems for that free running of the first half. With Tom Carvill coming off with calf strain, Captain Martin Murray went to prop and Jake Ellis moved from flanker to hooker to bring on debutant youngster Cameron Seagrove in the back row. This change unsettled the pack in the tight pieces and from an early scrum a short way out from the Folkestone try line ‘Bourne scored a try. 5-25.
Folkestone worked their way back up the pitch to be awarded a scrum and were able to get a tight enough scrum to push ‘Bourne back over their own line with young debutant flanker Cameron Seagrove getting the touchdown. 5-30. Seyhan Fell added the extra points 5-32.
Nearly half way through the half ‘Bourne came, back winning several scrums and making ground down into the Folkestone 22 from one of which their forwards gained momentum for one of their props to weave through and score a converted try. 12-32.
This resurgence by ‘Bourne continued but now the Folkestone defence held and countered whatever was thrown against them. Chris Petley, Will Turner and Cameron Seagrove combining to put in some try saving tackles and also to make some breaks up the field. Will Turner again high stepping his way through tackles whilst Chris Petley, James Archer and Jack Barton were in support with Jake Ellis not far behind. This defence continued until after 25 minutes when Seyhan Fell kicked on and won the chase for the ball to dribble it over the line and score a good individual try. 12-37.
Seyhan Fell was replaced at full back by Josh Holt for the final ten minutes while Folkestone continued to defend their line and make several breaks out of defence. Final Score 5-37.

This was one of the best displays I have seen from Folkestone in a long while and it is hard to nominate a Man of the Match, all eighteen of the squad played their part in providing an open running game and when needed a tight defensive resolve, so the whole team deserves the award.
Team: Seyhan Fell; Jeremie Cowell, Kyle Deakin, John Eustace, Harry Smith; Jon Morton, Doug Wood; James Archer, Martin Murray (Capt.), Tom Carvill; Jack Barton, Keiran Smith; Jake Ellis, Will Turner, Chris Petley.
Subs: Alex Box, Cameron Seagrove, Josh Holt.
Scorers: Jeremie Cowell 5; John Eustace 5; Seyhan Fell 3, 2, 2, 5; Harry Smith 5; Chris Petley 5; Cameron Seagrove 5.