Folkestone have only been beaten once in their last nine matches

FOLKESTONE 1stXV 33 PARK HOUSE1stXV 10
London 3SE 23rd January 2016 Report from Alan Schofield
Park House, the team whose origins are in Blackheath Rugby Club over 100 years ago, came to Folkestone lying just two points below them in the table but, interestingly, having accumulated 47% of their points to date from teams currently above them. (Conversely The Stones have managed only 5%.) However – the statistic, impressive as it seems, was only gained on their home pitch. Their away form has been unexceptional.
However, Folkestone have only been beaten once in their last nine matches, and thoughts of anything other than a win this day were not distracted by history as they went on to register another five points to their tally in a display that warmed the hearts of all present on this bleak and wintery day.
In many ways – and bearing in mind the difficult conditions - this was The Stones best performance and team effort of the season so far. Coach Leigh Fitchie said that he had been able to write down a full 1stXV of players that were unable to play this day – and so great credit is reflected upon the strength in depth that the Club possesses – and the enormous contribution from the junior teams that makes the squad of 1st XV players as it is.
Callum Gibson (18) came into the pack and the oft time sub – Kieran Smith started the game in the second row. Alex Randall, on his return from ‘God’s Own County’ started as a substitute but soon replaced Chris Petley who sustained a rib injury in the first quarter.
Doug Wood immediately put Park House on the back foot with a long kick into space that Park House put into touch. Folkestone won the ball and swung it out right where Jon Eustace barged over from 12 metres taking three men with him. 5 – 0. Before Park House could recover from this 2nd minute set back John Morton found another gaping hole with a long kick but Park House could only hoof it straight back where Doug Wood fielded it and put in another high cross field kick, Ollie Walton catching the ball superbly, and at pace, and little defence could be put up against his 30 metre run in to score under the posts. Seyhan Fell converted and the score after just 8 minutes was 12 – 0.
The Folkestone forwards – even at this early stage – were showing the well regarded Park House front eight how to scrum, ruck and maul and looked the much better team. John Morton again showed initiative by another long kick towards Charlie Watson on the left wing who was bundled into touch short of the line - and the same player was back in action on the other wing when he made 30 metres from a kick out of defence. The Stones had a setback when they lost Chris Petley – injured by a hard shoulder tackle, but it gave a welcome back to Alex Randall.
Park House managed a couple of attacks where the crowd could see their potential, and danger – but any thoughts of a purposeful attack on the home side line was snuffed out by a series of thumping tackles – Fraser Hendy and Tom Carvill at the forefront. But the opposition were also prone to give away penalties and therefore for 80% of the first half they found themselves defending.
Will Turner, from the base of a scrum – after the front five had won another loose ball in the ruck, put the ball left and through Doug Wood, Jon Morton and John Eustace to Charlie Watson who just knocked on with the line under his nose. That let-off for Park House was short lived as Seyhan Fell tested them with long low kicks and Kieran Smith bashed his way through four men before being pulled down. Another brief irruption by the visitors was frustrated by their persistent infringements. Play was brought into the Park House 22 metre defensive zone when they knocked on – The Stones won the resulting scrum, Alex Randall broke loose from the back and slipped a pass to Will Melia who danced his way through for a superb individual try from 15 metres out. And aneasy conversion by Seyhan Fell brought the score to 19 – 0 at half time.
Immediately on the resumption Park House conceded yet another penalty and were punished by a long Seyhan Fell kick into touch. From the line out Folkestone secured the ball and held it, making ground all the time and then Alex Randall saw a gap – sprinted through it - and the rest of the straggled defence, to run in the fourth and bonus point try. An easy conversion for Seyhan Fell and a 26 – 0 lead.
Fell, Morton and Wood went right, then the two Wills – Melia and Turner – took play into another full attack, Callum Gibson sustaining a knock that physio Ashlea Fry decided needed observation and James Archer substituted temporarily. Charlie Watson also, having received a training injury, was relieved by Kyle Deakin. Park House were in desperate defence as Will Melia and Alex Randall went close until a rare penalty gave them some space. The Stones came straight back and almost perfect classical rugby saw the forwards and backs combine to put Kyle Deakin over on the right wing only to be brought back for what must have been a very marginal forward pass – another try denied!
Park House were in the area of a yellow card for persistent infringements that was no help to their cause - now remote. Doug Wood stuck a penalty kick to within 5 metres, the line out was duly won and the ball fed through Wood and down the three-quarters line when Ollie Walton reversed the line of attack and was given an open field to run through for the fifth try – again converted by Fell and 33 – 0.
Just when the visitors seemed short of ideas of how to cope with the pace and tactics of a seemingly impregnable Folkestone team they managed to score a couple of good tries in the closing stages of the game. The first from an overlap created on the right wing and the second from a similar move, but which involved, what was seen, as a forward pass. Nevertheless it salvaged a bit of self-respect for a hardworking, sporting but thoroughly beaten side on the day. Final Score 33-10.
Man of the match is rarely mentioned nowadays as it is the whole team that succeed or fail, but special mention must go on this day to Callum Gibson and to Fraser Hendy who were ever present in every ruck and maul and to Doug Wood who controlled the game from the back of scrum with the confidence and experience that belies his age.

Team: Seyhan Fell; Charlie Watson, Ollie Walton, John Eustace, Thomo Murray; Jon Morton (Capt.), Doug Wood; Will Melia, Steve Doughty, Tom Carvill; Callum Gibson, Kieran Smith; Frazer Hendy, Will Turner, Chris Petley.

Subs: James Archer, Alex Randall, Kyle Deakin.

Scorers: John Eustace 5; Ollie Walton 5,5; Seyhan Fell 2, 2, 2, 2; Will Melia 5; Alex Randall 5;