A disappointing and lack lustre display from Folkestone

Gillingham Anchorians 1stXV 38 Folkestone 1stXV 19

Saturday 30th January 2016 London 3SE Report from Alex Ruddock

The game was played in good, sunny, although cold conditions throughout with a sometimes gusty wind blowing diagonally across the pitch which Folkestone played into and down the slope in the first half. Tom Carvill took the starting kick well and made ground back into Gillingham Anchorians half with Mike Gardner also carrying the ball on. This was then passed through several hands out to young left winger Charlie Watson who made thirty metres into the Anchs’ twenty-two before being forced into touch about ten metres from the line.
Anchs’ won their lineout and made their way into the Folkestone half where they spilled the ball, it was quickly recycled by Michael Gardner down the left to Charlie Watson who again made good ground and with the last man to beat he tried to chip over the defender who somehow managed to deflect the ball into touch. Somehow Folkestone managed to lose the ball in contact and Anchs’ were again back in Folkestone territory and threatening to score, which they did when they gained a penalty from an offside at the ruck. Anchorians stepped up and slotted the kick after 7 minutes to lead 3-0, against the run of play in those first hectic minutes.
It was not long before Folkestone were under sustained pressure again which ended in another score for Anchs, this time a converted try after 15 minutes play. 10-0.
From the restart Folkestone again gathered the ball cleanly and made moves out to the left through John Eustace and Kyle Deakin with Charlie Watson again showing his pace but again with little space to move in. At the breakdown the Anchs’ experienced scrum half got yellow carded. Folkestone won a scrum and Michael Gardner came off the back of the scrum and made several yards before offloading to John Eustace, who received man and ball at the same time, losing the ball in the contact. Anchs’ had the scrum about ten metres out from their line but an impressive shove from Folkestone saw quite a melee ensue from which Michael Gardner drove over to score. Seyhan Fell converted, so after 23 minutes the score had become 10-7.
The back row of Alex Randall, Will Turner and Michael Gardner were starting to get the upper hand making ground and linking together and when the ball went out to Jon Morton he broke through and Seyhan Fell coming in at pace on the angle blasted through unopposed to score a great try which he duly converted. Folkestone were at last in the lead 10-14 after 30 minutes. The rest of the half was spent trying to further the score but Folkestone were thwarted and started to concede penalties which Anchs’ were able to clear upfield.
I do not know what the Anchorians Coach said at half time but it certainly woke Anchs’ up. From the restart they collected the ball and made inroads into the Folkestone defence, which had started to become ineffective, tackles were being missed and Anchs scored in the bottom right corner which was converted. 17-14. As a result of the ruck and maul trying to save the try Thomo Murray was sin binned.
More penalties conceded by Folkestone as they tried to stem the Anchorians marauding players. One such attempt at the goal bounced back off an upright into the arms of one of the advancing Anchs’ and Folkestone stood and watched as he gratefully travelled fifteen metres and went over the line to score an unopposed try duly converted. 24-14.
Anchorians were now the dominant team and were putting a lot of pressure on a Folkestone side that seemed to have lost momentum and lacked the spirit they had displayed earlier in the game. When Folkestone did have the ball they started cutting back inside where they were overwhelmed in the tackle, ruck and maul. Why were they not passing the ball wide to the fast runners that earlier in the game had made large distances to put Anchs’ under pressure. Missed tackles were creeping in and allowing Anchs’ to gain serious yardage before being brought down, to then recycle the ball for more missed tackles to allow Anchs’ to score yet again after 20 minutes of the second half, again converted. 31-14.
It started to look too much for Folkestone to get back into the game, but they did score again after Charlie Watson again made good ground and the ensuing pressure was rewarded by a rare penalty, which Jack Cox took quickly to scamper over to score wide out on the left. Unfortunately the conversion just drifted wide. 31-19.
At this point Steve Doughty went of injured so Jake Ellis moved up to hooker and Frazer Hendy came on, while Callum Gibson was given a rest by Jack Barton. Josh Holt came on for Thomo Murray.
Shortly afterwards Anchs scored another converted try. 38-19. After which Michael Gardner came off with an injury to be replace by Callum Gibson. The game ended shortly afterwards.
This was another game of what might have been! Trying to bulldoze through a resilient defence off the back of scrums, rucks and mauls and more often than not losing the ball in contact. When the ball did come out players cut back inside, again losing the ball in contact, rather than moving the ball wide quickly to put the fast runners away. Again a failure to make the first up tackle count, especially in the middle section of the game when Anchorians made good their chances.
Luckily with this week’s results Folkestone have not lost a place in the table, but it does not augur well for the Teams hopes of promotion.
Team: Seyhan Fell; Thomo Murray, Kyle Deakin, John Eustace, Charlie Watson; Jon Morton (Capt.), Jack Cox; James Archer, Steve Doughty, Tom Carvill; Jake Ellis, Callum Gibson; Michael Gardner, Will Turner, Alex Randall.
Subs: Jack Barton, Frazer Hendy, Josh Holt.
Scorers: Michael Gardner 5; Seyhan Fell 2,5,2; Jack Cox 5.