FOLKESTONE 36 CALDICOT (Wales) 36

FOLKESTONE 36 CALDICOT (Wales) 36
Saturday 17th August 2019 FRIENDLY GAME Reporter Alan Schofield.

Although a month away from the start of the league campaign it was a pleasure for Folkestone to entertain the Welsh National Division 2 team – Caldicot, for a friendly, pre-season match.

Caldicott, (or, for the Welsh speakers amongst us, Cil-y-coed – translated to ‘Corner of the Wood’.) are some 12 years older than Folkestone as senior Rugby Club, having been founded in 1961. Thomas of Woodstock, a son of Edward 3rd dwelled there in the castle but it is nowadays more famous for the fact that Kyle Deakin, the Folkestone No. 12 is an ex-player of the Club.

This was a free-flowing game that was principally to give the large training contingent a chance of early season physical contact but with Folkestone playing a total of 40 players and supplementing the opposition with players and substitutes. The result therefore was of academic interest to the enjoyment of the players and it was fitting that a high scoring draw was the result.

John Eustace opened the scoring with a crashing run following a well-placed kick from Jon Morton. 5 – 0. Caldicot replied with a quick tap penalty and an unconverted try. 5 - 5. Rob Godden bulldozed his way through a defensive wall, ran 20 metres, passing to Colby Hayward who ran clear to score near the posts with Seyhan Fell converting. 12 - 5. Again, Caldicott replied with a right wing try, run in from the touch-line to the posts, duly converted. 12 – 12.

The game was split into 4 quarters and the second quarter saw Folkestone bring on 6 new players with Rob Godden scoring a try after Harry Smith made an exciting break mid-field. This was converted by Harry Smith. 19 - 12. Then Harry Smith extended the lead to 24 – 12 with a try on the right wing following a powerful 50 metre run by James Mead. But again, Caldicot fought back after a series of woeful defensive errors by Folkestone with a diving try, converted to make the score 24 – 19 at half-time.

Folkestone took to the second half with reserves filling 12 of 15 places and Caldicott, who were well drilled, took full advantage by running in three tries and one conversion without reply and as the quarter finished the scoreboard read 24 – 36. Freddy Faiers was the only Folkestone player to threaten with two fast and long runs, but it was feared that Folkestone had been too casual in their experiments, including one player who had never played rugby before!

Folkestone did bring back a few key players in the fourth quarter, but Caldicot held out against some attacking play, but often thwarted by basic early season mistakes. John Eustace ran hard and straight against a tiring defence to score, Will O’Donnell converting to bring the score difference to 5 points. Jordan Godden and ‘Jiggles’ Ellis made huge runs downfield, but it was left to Louis Watson with a brilliant piece of sprinting and dodging to level the scores with a try in the corner with no time left after the conversion attempt had failed. 36 – 36.

Starting Team: Seyhan Fell; Harry Smith, John Eustace, Kyle Deakin, Dan Hillier; Jon Morton, Will O’Donnell; David Ballard, Austin Hogben, Tom Snare; Rob Godden, Colby Hayward; Liam Trinder, Jeremie Cowell, Scott Stewart.

Scorers: John Eustace 5,5; Colby Hayward 5; Seyhan Fell 2; Rob Godden 5; Harry Smith 2, 5; Will O’Donnell 2; Louis Watson 5.

Substitutes: Lewis Howland, Louis Watson, Thomo Murray, Tom Nunn, Jack Shorter, Marc Ip-Lloyd, Steve Rees, Tom Davey, Carvill, Jake Ellis, Jordan Godden, James Stewart, James Mead, Shore, Adam Bloomfield, Dave Howland, Beale, Kieran Smith, White, Joe Himbury, Freddie Faiers
All of whom got a couple of quarters in for either Folkestone or Caldicot.