U18 Ross Johnson scores a hat trick!

Folkestone 2nds 54 Dover 3rds 7
20th September 2014 Report by Alex Box
This game was played at Folkestone because Dover only had two pitches available for three games.

Both teams were new combinations of new, young, old and experienced players who have not really played together yet. But this didn’t stop any player from providing a very entertaining and watchable match. Folkestone had an obvious advantage through power and pace across key pack and centre positions, reflecting a one sided score line, but Dover certainly fronted up to the challenge and proved what young inexperience can do.
The game started with a scrum on the centre point after Dover kicked out on the full. This gave Folkestone the first opportunity to show the scrum dominance which was a key theme throughout the game. Folkestone attacked with some ferocious pick and driving breaks, then some good handling ended with James Mead running the touch line, but working hard to stay in field and protect the ball.
Folkestone dominated a scrum 15 metres from Dover’s try line, with Miles Dempsey making a break from the back of the scrum, breaking a tackle and offloading to James Mead who scored the first try of the game. James Mead just missed the first conversion.
Again Folkestone took control from a strong scrummaging display, with the ball quickly distributed by fly half Daniel Woolford to centre Ross Dempsey, who broke through multiple tackles to offload to Fraser Nurse who evades a tackle to score for Folkestone. James Mead converts to make the score 12-0.
Miles Dempsey break through the centre field to ensure back line passing gives Chris Goldfinch the chance to break for Dover’s line, but is hauled down just short. Folkestone push hard through a forward change on the Dover line, with David Jarvis and Carl Tibbetts both pushing close to the line. Eventually the ball gets spun wider for Ross Dempsey to crash over the line to score. James Mead converted for a score of 19 – 0.
Folkestone started to lose their focus and gave away four penalties in row, allowing Dover to pin Folkestone back in their 22. But Alex Evans won an excellent turnover and broke up the side line, with strong support from Kieran Smith. Shortly followed by a break from Ross Dempsey who, after breaking through tackles, passed to Ross Johnson who scored a runaway try around the Dover defence.
After some great passing play from forwards and backs, Fraser Nurse and Chris Goldfinch combined to break down the pitch, and Jade McCaffrey takes a quickly recycled ball cutting right across the play and nearly goes over for a score. This pressure soon told as another converted try for Folkestone came just before half time, making the score 33-0 going into the break.
After half time, Dover had regrouped, and took more control of their possession, looking to run and move the ball more, making it harder for Folkestone to apply pressure on Dover. Alex Evans slightly pulled up on his thigh, so was replaced by the returning Martin Murray from the bench. This did not make the scrum any easier for Dover to handle, with strong scrummaging pushing Dover back. Dan Woolford made yet another break, and offloading to Ross Johnson who scored his second of the day. James Mead converted making the score 40-0.
After being penalised for handling in the ruck, Folkestone found themselves pushed back to their own try line and conceded the first points for Dover, through a mauling drive over their line. Score 40-7.
Folkestone came back with some pressure and better defensive work in the ruck areas, meant another two scores from Folkestone to finish the match. With a break from Ross Dempsey to score the penultimate and Ross Johnson taking the last try (his hat trick) in the final play of the game, after the Folkestone forwards rampaged through the Dover scrum, pushing them back 20 metres. James Mead converting both tries. Final score 54-7
There were a lot of great performances across the pitch; for Dover their young fly half was key to their quick thinking and recycling play. But Folkestone had strength and focus in players such as Miles Dempsey, Ross Dempsey, Ross Johnson, Fraser Nurse, James Mead and Daniel Woolford. But Man of the Match has to go to Alex Evans, for strong scrummaging, unstoppable carrying and well-timed turnovers really making a difference for Folkestone.
Squad: 15. Fraser Nurse; 14. Jade McCaffrey, 13. Ross Johnson, 12. Ross Dempsey, 11. Chris Goldfinch; 10. Daniel Woolford, 9. James Mead; 1. Alex Evans, 2. Adam Bloomfield, 3. Mat Roots; 4. David Jarvis, 5. Carl Tibbetts; 6. Jake Ellis, 7. Kieran Smith, 8. Miles Dempsey.
Subs: Martin Murray, Lewis Howland, Dan Cowell.
Scorers: James Mead 5, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2; Fraser Nurse 5; Ross Dempsey 5,5; Ross Johnson 5,5,5; A N Other 5.
Man of the Match: Alex Evans.