With the league season now in its final stages before the cup competitions start, the situation is challenging for Folkestone’s young team having lost a crucial match against Thanet which saw the teams exchange the fourth place from bottom position with Folkestone now in the relegation zone.

It was an exciting, but an untidy match where defences often seemed to be sacrificed for all-out attack and the mindset of Folkestone is clearly focused on the latter after conceding over 100 points in the last two matches.

Since the 19th Century Thanet have used their strange, sloping pitch to good effect and playing downhill in the first 15 minutes they ran in three tries, breaking through twice of the left wing and once through the centre – before Callum Palmieri opened the scoring for Folkestone with a penalty kick. 17 – 3.

But any complacency Thanet may have felt was setback when Thomas McKenzie made a startling break through centre-field and sprinted 30 metres before being hauled down, but not before he slipped a pass to Seyhan Fell who completed the move, touching the ball down under then posts. The conversion adding two more points. Folkestone held their own in mid-field, but Thanet used the slope advantage they had to their left wing tactics and broke through twice more before half time, leaving Folkestone shaken at having conceded five tries and 31 points before the break.

To their credit, Folkestone turned around and won the second half by 22 points to 10 points all without having to rely on the slope.

Within two minutes of the restart, Barney McKenzie dummied, slipped a tackle, side-stepped and found open space in front on him to open the scoring in the second half and then a fine effort was created by Callum Palmieri, Seyhan Fell and Tim Wood with a kicking, running passing movement that totally undid the opposition, Tim Wood finishing off the movement with a diving try, closing the gap to 34 – 20.

Thanet retaliated with a clean break through the centre to score again, but Folkestone responded in similar fashion when Palmieri combined with Harry Dean who had to force his way over the try line after a dynamic run through a determined defence, 41 -25.

Charlie Watson completed the scoring for Folkestone with their fourth try in the final minutes with an individual run when he cut through infield from the wing, leaving the cover defence unbalanced and outpaced. Palmieri added two more points with the conversion. 41 - 32

Folkestone earned a league point for the four tries they scored, but unfortunately missed a second bonus point by just one of the try conversions that narrowly missed.

This was a sporting contest, played with good spirit, exceptionally well refereed, and enjoyed by both teams who seem to have a cavalier approach to the game that no-one can deny is entertaining. Perhaps, however, the more tangible rewards for Folkestone’s young players are for another season.

Scores. Penalty; Palmieri 7 – 3 (9). Try, Fell 17 – 8 (29) Conv. Palmieri 17 – 10 (30). Try McKenzie 31 – 15 (42) Try, Dean 41 – 25 (72) Try, Charlie Watson 41 – 30 (38). Conv. Palmieri 41 – 32 (3()

Team: Mason Colchester-Long, James Cousens, Harry Illman, Colby Hayward, Robert Godden, Tim Wood, Thomas McKenzie, Thomas Snare, Callum Palmieri, Will Mylchreest, Greg Wood, Louis Watson, Harry Dean, Charlie Watson, Seyhan Fell. Subs. Ben Stringer, Jordan Godden, Barney McKenzie