The 2nd XV started where they left off last season

Report by Miles Dempsey.

As a pre-season game the game was split into 4 x 20mins periods to allow for more frequent substitutions and Deal Betteshanger to rest as they only brought one substitute.

Terry Holt lead the Folkestone team out, with something to prove against his former club and the boys did not disappoint their captain.

0-20mins
Folkestone started the much stronger of the two teams. Within a few minutes Jake Ellis was tested under the high ball when a Deal Betteshanger clearance kick missed touch but caught it safely and ran in for a good hard kick return, reapplying the Folkestone pressure, which only ended when Folkestone knocked the ball on just 10m out from the opposing try line. Jamie Webb was making his presence known at every ruck contesting for the ball until a turnover allowed a nice wrap around move between Doug Wood and Ross Dempsey to ship the ball out to Lewis Howland who got the ball to winger Harry Smith to open his scoring account for the day (5-0). Doug Wood was on kicking duty, his conversion attempt from wide out on the 22 was on target but ended up falling short.
Continuing pressure showed, when Ross Dempsey threw a dummy pass to break the line and go one-on-one on the fullback, he then sold a one handed dummy on the fullback to run in from 50m out to score under the posts. (10-0). Doug Wood converted. (12-0). Harry Paton again took the high ball off the kick off, drawing his man and putting Tim Wood through for some good gains. At the scrum Chris Alexander stopped the Deal Betteshanger attack before it could begin with a great tackle on their number 8 at the base of the scrum, but gave away a penalty for not releasing the player before attempting to steal the ball. Tim Wood, who was brilliant in the lineout all day being hit time after time by Jake Ellis’s highly accurate lineout throwing, went up high at the front to steal another ball against the head. Some scrappy ruck clearances lead to Deal Betteshanger entering the Folkestone 22m for the first time, before Folkestone turned over the ball which was sent out towards the right wing with Lewis Howland setting up a two-on-one with the opposition winger, only to be called back for no advantage from an earlier penalty to Folkestone. Chris Alexander took a quick tap within their own 22m and earned another penalty, which was kicked to touch. Folkestone set a solid platform from the lineout and started to rumble forwards when Chris Alexander took the ball himself close to the maul, stealing some good metres before giving the ball to Doug Wood who side stepped two players and gave the ball to Lewis Howland who crashed over on the right hand side. (17-0). Josh Holt took the conversion out wide, but was unsuccessful.
Lewis Howland and Harry Smith combined well down the left side gaining over 50m, giving Folkestone good field position which the forwards used to keep the Visitors on the back foot. A rare Folkestone overthrow from Jake Ellis was cleared up by Tim Wood winning Folkestone a penalty 5m out right in front of the posts. Folkestone tapped the ball and got the ball out to Ross Dempsey who crashed over on the right hand side. (22-0). Doug Wood converted. (24-0).

20-40mins.
The combination of subs used lead to an 8, 9, 10 combination of Wood brothers, Tim, Greg and Doug. From the kick off a penalty was given away by Keith Packman, who had only just entered the field, for entering the ruck from the wrong side. Keith Packman made up for it though in the scrum, ensuring Folkestone won their own scrums and sent the D&B scrum backwards. Folkestone now 22m out from the line. Greg Wood mixed up the attack with a tactical box kick which was chased down by Harry Smith who scored out on the left. (29-0). The conversion attempt from Doug Wood was almost identical as the first and unfortunately fell short again. From the kick off Billy Monk broke the line setting up a ruck on the right and the ball was shipped to the other wing only to be knocked on 10m out from the line. Folkestone were awarded a free kick from the resulting scrum for D&B scrum half feeding the ball. Tim Wood took a quick tap drawing his man and giving quick ball to Michael Gardner to crash over the line just left of the posts. (34-0). Doug Wood converted. (36-0). Jake Ellis made a great break from the kick-off, giving the ball to Michael Gardner bursting through 4 attempted tackle before offloading to the ever in support Doug Wood who launched the ball out to Harry Smith, who cut in on the full back 22m out to run in under posts for his hat-trick try. (41-0). Doug Wood converted. (43-0). Hooker Jake Ellis was called up to the first team game, who did a straight swap with a very familiar face, Alex Box. D&B took a grubber kick from kick off which took Folkestone by surprise leading to a knock on. Folkestone turned over the scrum and got the ball out wide but were tackled into touch. Folkestone turned over the lineout and got the ball out to Ross Dempsey who broke through 3 tacklers before a poor pass found the ball on the floor, Josh Holt cleared up well making good metres himself carving through the defensive line and setting up a ruck 5m out. Doug Wood took the ball at first receiver stepping two players and scoring on the right. (48-0). Josh Holt produced a super kick from the touch line to bring Folkestone up to the half century. (50-0). Folkestone were starting to exert their physical dominance now, Ross Dempsey broke three tacklers then offloaded to Jack Barton who also broke 3 tackles. Doug Wood and Harry Smith then combined before the ball went right to Jeremie Cowell who threw a wrap around pass with Ross Dempsey and Jeremie Cowell ran over the line and then towards the middle before scoring. (55-0). Josh Holt converted. (57-0).

HALF TIME
40-60mins
Harry Smith and Ross Dempsey, having scored 5 tries between them, were taken to be seen in the first team game. Chris Alexander and Peter White offered to play for the opposition to give some of their guys a rest. Deal Betteshanger came out fighting but Folkestone continued to dominate when Mark Bartlett stole the ball and burst through the line setting up a ruck. Doug Wood again ran from first receiver stepping and bursting through tackles before dummying the ball to Drew McClaren whose support play allowed Doug Wood to run over the line. (62-0). Chris Alexander led Deal Betteshanger from the front on the kick off distracting Jack Barton enough to force a knock on against Folkestone. After the scrum, Mark Bartlett stole the ball again, who offloaded to Alex Box who got the ball out to Drew McClaren but was tackled into touch on the halfway mark. Michael Gardner stole the ball off the attacking visiting player, allowing Tim Naylor to make some good gains. Steve Brown injured his ankle and had to leave the field replaced by Jeremie Cowell. D-B hands in the ruck, gave Folkestone a penalty. Greg Wood took a quick tap in the middle of the field, letting the front row show off a bit, when Alex Box and Harry Paton linked up before a miss pass out to winger Jeremie Cowell who ran on the outside and cut in 22m out but was taken down by the full back. Lewis Howland used quick ball to give support runner Charlie Howitt a 20m run in under the posts. (67-0). Doug Wood converted. (69-0). With Folkestone scoring well over a point a minute, the referee called the two captains in and decided the game would only go a further 10 minutes to the end of the third quarter. Mark Bartlett took the high ball from the kick off drawing in several defenders before offloading to Michael Gardner who bounced off multiple tacklers but was forced into touch 22m out. The lineout was overthrown. Michael Gardner fly kicked the ball over the line and won the race to score his second try. (74-0). From the kick off it seemed Folkestone were caught napping and no one called for the ball and let it bounce. Luckily Keith Packham was there to clear up the loose ball. Folkestone kicked long, with Drew McClaren leading the kick chase but was penalised for leading with his legs when contesting for the loose ball. Mark Bartlett was also taken to the first team game, replaced by Keith Packham. D-B kicked for touch and tried to use a 3 man lineout but was overthrown. Michael Gardner picking the ball up and making a 20m run down the right wing but couldn’t release the ball before being put into touch. The D-B 3man lineout didn’t work again and Folkestone applied more pressure. D&B were trying everything to find a weakness in the Folkestone team, even running from behind their own try line, but knocked on. Folkestone gave away a penalty easing the pressure for the visitors. Again they elected to quick tap and looked to be away before prop Harry Paton put in a huge tackle taking ball and all into touch. The ref then called time on the game.

Final score: 74-0
Team: 1. Harry Paton, 2. Jake Ellis, 3. Mark Bartlett; 4. Billy Monk, 5. Tim Naylor; 6. Terry Holt (c), 7. Jamie Webb, 8. Tim Wood.
9. Chris Alexander, 10. Doug Wood, 11. Jeremie Cowell; 12. Ross Dempsey, 13. Lewis Howland, 14. Harry Smith; 15. Josh Holt.

Subs: 16. Peter White, 17. Keith Packham, 18. Jack Barton, 19. Michael Gardner, 20. Greg Wood, 21. Charlie Howitt, 22. Steve Brown, 23. Drew Mclaren, 24. Ross Clark.
Tries: Harry Smith x3, Ross Dempsey x2, Lewis Howland, Michael Gardner x2, Doug Wood x2, Jeremie Cowell, Charlie Howitt

Cons: Doug Wood 5/8, Josh Holt 2/4

Man Of The Match was Tim Wood for good all round play but absolutely solid in the lineout and stealing a lot of ball in the air.