In ice cold blustery conditions Folkestone entertained the crowd.

Saturday 31st January 2015 London 3 South East
FOLKESTONE 1st XV 53 HASTINGS & BEXHILL 1st XV 5
Report by Alan Schofield.
Club stalwarts and first team regulars, Will Silvey and Charlie Millen were selected to play their last game for the Club for almost a year before leaving for an extended work and play break in New Zealand. In addition – Richie Bowen will soon be leaving to start a new career. The team will miss them.
After the disappointment of the previous week, Folkestone needed to bounce back against their much lower placed opponents. The reverse fixture against Hastings saw Folkestone pick up four head injuries on their way to only being able to wreak a 10 – 10 draw in an unsatisfactory game of rugby.
But what a difference this day - with a nine try feast of fast open rugby, and no injuries.
Hastings did not have a single touch of the ball before they were 5 – 0 down. They kicked off, Tom Carvill fielded, made 15 metres, fed the ball inside to his forwards, he recovered it and made another 15 metres before feeding the ball out to Ollie Walton on the right wing, who beat three players to touch down.
From the resumption, immediately Folkestone were back on the attack. Even at this early stage of the game it was sensed that they were up for this game with a vengeance. Hastings could only offer some stern defensive tackling as Folkestone pressed hard. A weak defensive kick attempt to find touch relief only found the safe hands of Ollie Walton, who drew his opposite number, fed inside to John Eustace – and there was no stopping this man mountain from 8 metres. 10 – 0.
Hastings had a big and heavy pack of forwards, but Folkestone have a technique, led by captain ‘Moose’ Murray that gave them the impetus, and Hastings had to yield ground as the home team took control.
From a scrum on the right, on the 22 metre line, James Mead picked the ball out of the back row – jinked left and right, side stepped and ran clear through to score an individual try that he will remember. 15 - 0
Will Silvey crossed the line only minutes later, but dropped the ball whilst touching down, but the bonus point try came shortly afterwards when the full back fumbled and Ollie Walton snapped up the mistake and scored the try. This time Jon Morton converted and the score went on to 22 – 0.
Hastings, having spent 30 minutes in defence did fight back and, with the advantage gained through a couple of penalties, had a few minutes testing The Stones’ defence. But Ben Stringer, ‘Moose’ Murray and Josh Kemp all put in thumping tackles that stopped any thoughts they may have had in gaining some initiative. Nevertheless half time was reached with Hastings trying hard to put something on the scoreboard.
Their efforts were to be rewarded, but not before 2 minutes after the resumption when the ‘try of the match’ was scored by Ollie Walton (his third). From a scrum, James Mead fed Adam Tolman who looped with John Eustace who made ground with Jon Morton at his shoulder to take the pass and with the overlap now clear, fed Ollie Walton to touch down at full speed on the left wing. 27 – 0. But within three minutes Hastings scored a very good try of their own – in a similar move to the one they had conceded just two minutes previously. 27 – 5.
Martin Murray shouted encouragement to his willing team and then set up yet another attack by a short pass to Tom Carvill – who is fast off the mark for a big, strong man. And it was these two – with the support of the other six forwards who were sapping the strength out of the courageous Hastings & Bexhill XV.
But outside the powerhouse were a sprightly set of three-quarters, always testing the opposition and it was fast interpassing between Adam Tolman and James Mead, that bamboozled the defenders allowing Josh Kemp to touch down under the posts. Jon Morton converted. 34 – 5.
In the last quarter of the game Folkestone were rampant as Hastings were already a well beaten side. Jon Morton, ‘Thomo Murray and Tom Carvill all came close to scoring, but the inevitable seventh try of the game went to John Eustace. A miskicked attempt at finding touch from the Hasting in –goal only found Josh Kemp - 10 metres away, he caught it well and gave a short pass to John Eustace who ran in easily. Jon Morton converted. 41 – 5.
And Hasting were in trouble again when Will Turner, sharp as ever, tackled his opponent in the Hastings in-goal, after a Will Silvey and Adam Tolman combined movement. This gave The Stones a 5 metres scrum and their put in. The inevitable happened as Miles Dempsey picked up from the back row, and fed Adam Tolman and no-one had the will, speed or the strength to stop him on a 20 metre run through the opposition. 46 – 5.
Hastings fought to end but were again found wanting when, each in turn - Frankie Morgan, Will Silvey and Jon Morton all made ground – before Ollie Walton took the final pass and scored his fourth try of the match. Moose Murray then gave the ball to Will Silvey for his Parthian shot of the season – a conversion, that although miskicked, scraped over the cross bar. 53 – 5.
Much credit is due to Leigh Fitchie for re-inspiring his team, after a poor performance the previous week. And special credit also goes to Mr Ciaran Treloar, today’s referee. He was responsible for allowing a good clean game with clear decision making and no dissent.
In the league table, Folkestone could only consolidate their position in sixth place – but any slip up by the three teams just ahead of them, could lift them up to being ‘the best of the rest’ after Horsham and Dartfordians.
Team: Will Silvey; Thomo Murray, Jon Morton, John Eustace, Ollie Walton; Adam Tolman, James Mead; Martin Murray (Capt.), Steve Doughty, Tom Carvill; Ben Stringer, Josh Kemp; Charlie Millen, Will Turner, Chris Petley.
Subs: Adam Fullerton, Miles Dempsey, Frankie Morgan.
Scorers: Ollie Walton 5, 5, 5, 5; John Eustace 5, 5; James Mead 5; Jon Morton 2, 2, 2; Josh Kemp 5; Adam Tolman 5; Will Silvey 2.