SHEPPEY 1st XV 22 FOLKESTONE 1st XV 29
14th January 2017 LONDON 3SE Report by Alan Schofield
Folkestone contrived to win this encounter but not before giving themselves and their followers some very nervous moments. After squandering a lead of 22 points, they were put to desperate defence in the last quarter and only a knock on by Sheppey saved them from defeat. But the five points earned keep them high up in the league table.
Some interesting statistics before this game were that Sheppey have had the most points of any team in the division scored against them – averaging at 32 points against per game. Whilst Folkestone score, on average, 31 points per game. Therefore it was assumed for this match a very high aggregate score would entertain the crowd on a winter’s day.
It all looked comfortable for The Stones, playing uphill and against the wind, as they gained and held territory for the first part of the game. The forwards were lively and the backs were looking dangerous and it wasn’t long before Sheppey had no answer to a move that started with Folkestone playing on through a penalty and a knock-on advantage took them to attacking hard down the right – but John Eustace switched direction, linked with Jon Morton, who passed to James Mead on the left wing - and he ran through and round to touch down near the posts making it easy for Seyhan Fell to convert. 0 – 7.
The Stones continued to dominate play. Steve Doughty and Ben Stringer taking play well in the Sheppey 22 metre area, and five or six of the Folkestone forwards were engaging eight, or more of their opponents – leaving gaps that John Eustace exploited standing off the base of the action. Quick passing from a ruck saw Jona Manu in possession, at speed and unstoppable for the second try. 0 – 12.
The third came within a couple of minutes as Shane Hills barged his way over on the right wing after the forwards, again, had gained territory with continued pick and runs from rucks. Sam Beech and Jeremy Cowell were prominent – but it was impressive to see all eight forwards in rampant mode. The strong cross wind was making place kicks difficult as Seyhan Fell failed to convert. 0 – 17.
Sheppey had little to offer against this Folkestone side even though disrupted again by player unavailability, injury and repositioning of players. Kyle Deakin played as the fifth scrum half of the season. James Lunnun, at No 10, utilised well the opportunities that the forwards secured, and Seyhan Fell fielded the speculative kicks from Sheppey with ease. It was Seyhan, who always looks for opportunities to run with the ball from full back, who had the home side desperately stampeding across the wide field to cover.
Sheppey then did the unusual move of sending on all their three substitutes within the first 30 minutes – and this had an effect -as Folkestone had to defend strongly to resist some determined onslaughts. Sam Beech and Joby Crystal were prominent in disrupting these – and Steve Doughty took a scrum against the head to relieve the pressure. But so buoyant were Folkestone that when Sheppey tried to come back at them, Jona Manu stole the ball from the hands of his opposite number and ran 60 metres to score Folkestone’s fourth, a bonus point try. Barely 30 minutes had passed and Folkestone led 0 -22 and this fairly reflected their dominance. It could have been five tries as Shane Hills, Ben Stringer, Jon Eustace and Sam Beech all were stopped inches short.
Half time came, and whatever was said to the Sheppey players must have been stimulating – and it needed to be for now the Stones were playing downhill, with a wind advantage. Loyal Folkestone supporters were contemplating a big win – with every reason. But oh – how mistaken they were!
It all started to go wrong when Jona Manu was yellow carded for (according to him) a mistaken identity offence in the ruck. From the penalty, the midfield gap was seen and there was no-one there to stop Sheppey running straight through to score within a minute. 5 – 22.
Then Sam Beech was substituted by Jordan Godden in the back row and then James Mead pulled a thigh muscle and back came Beech. And The Stones were still adjusting to the changes when Sheppey again – taking advantage of a couple of penalty awards forced their way through a disorganised defence and scored a second try. 10 -22.
Some order was restored when Sheppey knocked on allowing Jon Eustace and Jordan Godden to force their way towards the try line, then Steve Doughty took it on before being held, but he slipped the ball back for Eustace to pick it up and use his 16 stones to crash over. 10 -27, with twenty minutes to play.
But a bewildering change in the game saw Folkestone suddenly start conceding penalties. The team, this season, have been well disciplined and rarely have penalty counts gone against them. Even in this game Sheppey were conceding penalties at the rate of 3:1 in the first half, but in the last 10 minutes The Stones, very strangely, conceded seven penalties and Sheppey were brought back into the game with a vengeance. Three penalties in quick succession gave Sheppey a try under the posts to narrow the gap to 10 points. Folkestone, undeterred, then held play well into the Sheppey half. Kyle Deakin controlling the ball well from loose and set play from his scrum half position - but a long kick with an unlikely bounce gave Sheppey a foothold in the Stones 22 metre area.
Another series of three penalties against Folkestone allowed Sheppey a series of attacks on the line and, in spite of an unseen knock forward they managed to swing the ball out the left wing to score their fourth, and bonus point try. 22 – 27.
Sheppey were now on the rampage as they saw victory in sight and they played their best rugby of the whole game in the last 5 minutes. Every man of the Folkestone team had to throw himself into defence against attack after attack, punctuated by penalties, – and just when it seemed another try was inevitable, with an overlap of two players, the Sheppey centre just could not reach to hold onto a pass, and knocked it forward, and Folkestone had triumphed.
The best team won, but Folkestone have much to think about when in a defensive mode. They are an ebullient team – always looking to attack – and this has caught them out when being attacked themselves. Not least today, last week, and in much of the first half of the season. Nevertheless, its entertaining amateur rugby union at its best.

A deserved week off now, before the first home match of the season against Park House on the 28th January.

Team: James Archer, Steve Doughty, Bob Porter; Ben Stringer, Joby Crystal; Sam Beech, Jeremie Cowell, John Eustace; Kyle Deakin, James Lunnun; Shane Hills, Jona Manu, Jon Morton (Capt.), James Mead; Seyhan Fell.

Sub: Jordan Godden

Scorers: James Mead 5; Seyhan Fell 2; Jona Manu 5, 5; Shane Hills 5; John Eustace 5.