FOLKESTONE 68 pts v. MEDWAY10 pts 5th April 2025

Folkestone started this, the last league game of the season, with a theoretical chance of promotion – enhanced by an 88 – 0 win in the previous match - and now, having done everything they hoped for, they must reflect on some disappointing results earlier in the season.

But this is a renewed team playing with speed and confidence and within 15 minutes had earned the try bonus point against a Medway team that showed some spirited resistance but had no answer when Cairo Ellis took an inside pass from Callum Palmieri and ran through untouched. Greg Wood scored a brilliant individual try, breaking through the centre and before Medway could adjust, Cairo Ellis burst through again to score under the posts. The bonus point was reached when Charlie Walson sprinted 40 metres on the right wing to run round and touch down by the posts to give Ollie Smith his fourth conversion and his team a 28 – 0 lead.

Medway showed that it was not all one-sided with two good tries within 5 minutes bringing the score to a more modest 28 – 10 but Folkestone were undaunted and continued their flamboyant and precise rugby, combined with individual talent – demonstrably showed by Alex Price as he avoided two tackle attempts and charged through a packed defence to touch down and then 38 year old Seyhan Fell in his final league match before retirement scored firstly on the left wing with a short run from a defence splitting pass from Harry Dean – and then appeared on the left wing, supporting Charlie Watson who ran 30 metres before giving Fell the inside pass for another try in his long and distinguished career with Folkestone Rugby and that has given him an international cap with Cyprus.

The half -time score of 49 – 0 was achieved with seven converted tries.

The conditions for play were made difficult with a strong cross field wind and a hard, dry pitch but Folkestone made light of this with their crisp passing and deft kicking. The eight man scrum was dominant, led in the front row by the formidable trio of Tom Snare, James Cousens Mason Colchesterrt-Long.

Flanker Jake Dengate continued the rout when he crashed though the Medway defence of their line – Ollie Smith converting the try – and club stalwart Jon Morton was on hand to take an opportunist try from a quick tap penalty to take the score to 61 – 10. And, fittingly, the final try was scored by Ben Stringer – the regular Club second row forward who, week after week, produces a solid basis for the scrum and has that ‘none shall pass’ attitude to tackling the opposition, whilst his distribution is the effective foundation for the backs to begin their attacks.

The final whistle came to the relief of a beaten, but game, Medway team – beaten by a mostly young, well trained and enterprising team led by coach Rob Dengate - and although promotion in the league might just be out of reach this season – the hope and opportunity for next season is real.

The next challenge for this squad is to advance in the Papa John Cup with the incentive of the final to be played at Bristol in May – just three wins away. The next tie against Vigo is on April 26th at Burlington Fields – thereafter, if successful, trips to Essex and/or Surrey and a semi-final elsewhere.

Scores. Try, Ellis 5 – 0 (6 minutes) Conversion Smith 7 – 0: Try, Wood 12 – 0 ( 9) Conv. Smith 14 – 0. Try Ellis 19 – 0 (14) Conv Smith 21 – 0. Try Charlie Watson 26 – 0. (18), Conv. Smith 28 – 0. Try Price 33 –10 (35) Conv Smith 35 – 10. Try, Fell 40 – 10 (37) Conv Smith 42 – 10. Try, Fell 47 – 10 (39) Conv Smith 49 – 10. HT. Try Dengate 54 – 10 ( 60) Conv Smith 56 – 10. Try, Morton 61 – 10 (68). Try Stringer 66 – 10 (77) Conv Smith 68 - 10

Team: - Thomas Snare, James Cousens, Mason Colchrester-Long: Jack Baker, Ben Stringer, Jake Dengate: Jon Morton, Alex Price: Greg Wood: Ollie Smith, Harry Dean, Callum Palmieri, Cairo Ellis, Charlie Watson, Seyhan Fell. Subs :- Scott Stewart, Louis Watson, Jack Hobbs.