1st XV continue their losing streak at Cranbrook

Cranbrook 1stXV 21 Folkestone 1stXV 10

20th February 2016 London 3SE Report from Steve Hughes

Having lost the previous two games to teams lower down the League Folkestone needed to win this one to maintain their position in the top half.
They opened brightly and within the first ten minutes commanded territorial advantage with possession being 50/50. Having worked their way into the Cranbrook red zone Doug Wood fed Jon Morton from a scrum so see him slice through the defence to score under the posts for Seyhan Fell to add the two points 0 - 7.
Then Jon Morton and Josh Holt combined only for the ball to go astray with the try line going begging. It was a game which looked comfortably within Folkestone’s reach until an unfortunate incident prior to half time seemed to affect them - more of that later. Chris Petley and John Eustace both got close and only desperate tackling kept the Cranbrook line intact but they reduced the score from another penalty to make it 3 - 7. John Eustace was yellow carded shortly after but Folkestone were able to cope while he had a ten minute spell.
Territorially at this point Folkestone had the advantage but constant penalties, dropped balls, knock-ons and bickering with the referee was taking its toll.
Cranbrook were playing an expansive game, moving the ball along the line whenever possible and on two occasions only solid tackles by Thomo Murray and Kyle Deakin denied the home side tries.
From one of the penalties Cranbook took a short tap which resulted in a line out in the Folkestone corner which the home side won and rolled over for an unconverted try 8 - 7.
Folkestone tried to hit back when Jon Morton and John Eustace combined to see Josh Holt dragged down just short of the line. The visitors then put together 16 phases of play involving forwards and backs which resulted in a penalty which Seyhan Fell slotted to take the lead 8 -10.

It was at this point the unfortunate incident referred to previously took place which seemed to rattle Folkestone on the restart, after a fracas on the pitch, saw a red card for a Cranbrook player. This occurred just prior to half time when a Cranbrook spectator took exception to an altercation between players on the pitch and decided to get involved. The referee immediately whistled for half time in order to cool things down.
From the re-start Cranbrook, with the advantage of a strengthening gale force wind at their backs, took charge and Folkestone needed to dig in to repel attack after attack and a chip into the Folkestone ’tap and go’ corner led to another penalty which Cranbrook converted to re-take the lead 11- 10.
A ‘tap and go’ from another penalty saw them score in the corner for an unconverted try 16 - 10 and then cap it all by winning a line out on the 5 metre line and spread the ball along the line to create an overlap in the opposite corner and score another unconverted try 21-10.
Folkestone then brought on substitutes James Archer for Tom Carvill and Jack Barton for Callum Gibson but Cranbrook were now in the ascendancy (except in the scrums where Folkestone had the upper hand all afternoon) and it was only dogged defence by Folkestone that kept the score as it was until the finish.
Unfortunately the talking point about this game was not of the rugby played but of the incident that should never have happened.

Team: Kyle Deakin; Thomo Murray, Seyhan Fell, John Eustace, Josh Holt; Jon Morton, Doug Wood; Martin Murray (Capt.), Will Melia, Tom Carvill; Callum Gibson, Kieran Smith; Jake Ellis, Frazer Hendy, Chris Petley.
Subs: James Archer, Jack Barton, James Mead.
Scorers: Jon Morton 5; Seyhan Fell 2, 3.