Folkestone were always going to struggle against a full strength Thanet XV.

KENT SHIELD ROUND 1 THANET WANDERERS 44 pts FOLKESTONE 15 pts
3rd September 2016 Report by: Alan Schofield
Without any warm-up games and missing eight first XV regulars, Folkestone were always going to struggle against a full strength Thanet XV. The 53 year prop, Bob Porter, who gamely stepped into the front row and, played the whole 80 minutes and with the benefit of a slow motion action replay would have been rewarded with a try had the referee been in the same position as myself.
Nevertheless Folkestone were well worth their 15 points, unfortunately Thanet were generally worth their 44 points and went through to Round 2 of the Kent Shield on merit, helped by some woeful defending at times.
The Stones took an early lead within two minutes with a well taken penalty by James Mead into a strong breeze but were pegged back five minutes later when Thanet, looking a strong and fit team, put them under pressure to concede a penalty duly kicked. 3 – 3. But the sprinkling of Folkestone supporters could see in the early stages that both in the scrums and the line-outs the gallimaufry of forwards was going to find life difficult. The ease of Thanet’s first try was ominous when they won easy ball and contrived to have more players than their visitors on the right wing. 10 – 3.
But The Stones were determined. Callum Gibson and Ben Stringer putting in crunching tackles whilst James Mead from scrum half was doing what good scrum halves do. Steve Doughty used his weight and speed to make 20 metres alone before the ball was passed out to new Club Captain, Jon Morton, who split the defences with a cross field kick. Gaining a penalty within 10 metres it was strange to see The Stones going for a line out when they had lost almost every previous line out to the big Thanet pack. They lost this one also, and, with it, the ground gained so impressively. An enormous kick downwind was collected by Adam Tolman almost under his own posts. Jon Morton in support kicked the ball away, but another kick safely fielded by Tolman rebounded unluckily from the back of an unparticipating Thanet forward and into the hands of the backs who ran in the second try easily. 15 – 3.
‘Jiggles’ Ellis sustained a small cut above the eye and Keiran Smith substituted. And The Stones, led on by dogged efforts from John Eustace, now playing at No 8, with James Mead put Thanet into hard defence for many minutes. But relief was in the form of another kick propelled extra metres by the wind, the fielding was uncoordinated and Thanet were all too easily able to break through the centre and score another try. 20-3. But undeterred Folkestone were playing with spirit and determination against a well drilled pack, and some strong fast running backs. They were rewarded when, after a reversed penalty decision following a minor brouhaha, after which Thanet kicked the ball away – Callum Gibson was held up on the line but fed the ball back and, taking advantage of some disarray, Jon Morton put in a darting run on the right to touch down and bring the scores to 20 – 8 at half time.
The penalty count against Thanet was ever mounting as they continued to offend the laws to the ratio of 11 – 3 after 40 minutes and this increased exponentially as the game progressed annoying the proficient refereeing of Mr. Kevin Willis.
So the question was – could The Stones, with wind assistance, find a way to overcome the disadvantages they had in all the set pieces and the sprightly set of backs that Thanet possessed? For almost 15 minutes Folkestone looked as though they could have done just that. James Lunnun twice put Thanet back with well-placed kicks and Sam Beech repositioned himself at the lineouts to good effect. James Lunnun, playing No10, sustained a leg injury which brought on Shane Hills for his debut – but it forced further reshuffling of an already disrupted selection.
After holding Thanet for a good 15 minutes back and forth play, The Stones showed they were not short of ideas and energy, James Mead, Bob Porter and Kieran Smith both ran close to scoring before handling errors. Thanet were generally on top and determined to throw all 18 of their squad into playing fast moving rugby that eventually wore down their visitors allowing two more tries from midfield overlaps and breaks. 30-8.
But again The Stones bravely rebounded and pressurised Thanet in their own half, often being slowed and frustrated by their opponents regularly conceding penalties by their tactics. They paid the price, only once when Jon Morton on a superb solo effort ran in a try from 20 metres dodging and weaving through a hitherto solid defensive wall. James Mead kicked from under the posts and the score line showed 34 – 15.
But it was too much to overcome and in the final minutes Thanet scored two more tries against their game, but tiring opponents who finally lost by 44 – 15.
This was the first game of the season for The Stones, the two arranged practise games having been cancelled and it showed that, although fit and ready from their training routines, there is no substitute for actual match practice. The league starts next Saturday at home against Old Dunstonians who strengthened their team and finished strongly last season, but Folkestone will be stronger after this exercise.
If the defeat was bad enough “Hughsie” and I were then taken by “Cribbo” on a nostalgic tour of the scrubland wastes of the east of East Kent on a journey showing us every Inn and Pub where he had dined.
And then, seeking the peace of our own Clubhouse for a convivial half hour, we found the gate barred and the Club closed – at 5 o’clock on a Saturday evening in the rugby season??? Oh dear!!

Team: Bob Porter; Steve Doughty, Martin Murray; Callum Gibson, Ben Stringer; Sam Beech, John Eustace, Jake Ellis, James Mead, James Lunnun; Alex Randall, Jon Morton(Capt.) Adam Tolman, Jack Cox; Josh Holt.

Subs: Kieran Smith, Shane Hills.

Scores: Pen – Mead ( 2 mins) Try – Morton ( 39 mins) Try- Morton (76 mins) Conv.- Mead (77 mins)