1stXV lose heavily at Beccehamians

Beccehamians 1stXV 61 Folkestone 1stXV 19.
Saturday 20th October 2018. LONDON 3SE. Report by Colin Lane.

Under blue skies in south east London, Folkestone capitulated in the first half with poor tackling against another opposition back line that knew how to run with the ball in two hands, with the Folkestone players grasping to try and tackle the jinking runners. When Beccs were tackled it was on the third or fourth attempt that brought them down, but inevitably their ball was recycled quickly which normally ended in a try. However Man of the Match Callum Palmieri was tackling every thing that came his way, whatever size they were, chasing back and tackling with little support, apart from Liam Trinder and Jordan Godden.
The first five minutes was quite scrappy with Folkestone giving away a penalty for holding on in the tackle. This was taken quickly by their scrum half after pushing Folkestone back five metres or so. Several mauls developed from the lineouts followed by a drive forward. Neither side at this point had any ascendency and after several scrums the Folkestone front row of Bob Porter, Peter White and Mat Roots (a combined age of 153 years!) appeared to be settling down but then after some mauling Peter White was left on the floor clutching his ankle and in a lot of pain. Ashlea Fry, the Physio tended to him and after several minutes he was helped off the pitch. A long way to come for a 10 minute stint for the 1stXV rather than playing for the 3rds at Dover!
(Apparently a fractured fibula was diagnosed at the William Harvey Hospital after a dash back down the M20 by Glenn Foreman.) We hope you have a swift recovery Peter, in the meantime maybe some gentle wheelchair rugby is in order?
Stones had to make a few changes with Conor Guilfoyle coming in to flanker, Liam Trinder moved to No.8 and Scott Stewart went to hooker.
From the restart the Stones lineout throw was not straight and from the Beccs scrum the flyhalf received the ball and he threaded a drop goal through the posts from 20 metres. 3-0.
Ten minutes later Beccs were on the attack again winning a scrum on the 22 metre line with the scrum half going wide of the scrum for the No 8 to break and pass wide to him and with quick hands the ball went along the line for their winger who was able to evade several despairing tackles to go over in the corner and score an unconverted try. 8-0.
From the restart Stones regained the ball from the kick but then knocked on. The Beccs scrum was won and their large number 8 came off the back of the scrum to pass again to his No9 who sold Stones a dummy and was able set his winger free to score another try in the corner. 13-0. Some weak tackling from Stones was partly to blame again. From the restart Stones made ground and won the ball at the ensuing maul with Jordan Godden and Liam Trinder linking with Callum Palmieri to make further ground and the ball was quickly passed out to Daniel O’Rourke who tried a chip over the advancing Beccs, however it went straight to their rather large centre who ran through some tackles and a couple of minutes later Beccs were back on the scoreboard with a try under the posts, which was converted. 20-0.
The Stones restart kick failed to go ten metres which gave Beccs a scrum on half way, this they took advantage of and again appeared to be able to run at will through several tackles, although yet again valiant tackling by 18 year old Callum Palmieri (about five and a half feet tall and weighing about seven stone when soaking wet!) managed to bring down the six foot three, 18 stone centre with ease! But even then the ball was off loaded for another score under the posts, with Beccs No.10 kicking the extra two point. 27-0.
The first half had run to about 45 minutes when Beccs were over the line again for an unconverted try. 32-0.
An ominous start to the game for Stones, too many penalties given away, although Beccs had a similar number but not in their own half. The poor first up tackling and several times second or third attempts left Stones grasping at straws. When tackling they need to start concentrating on the hips of the opposition not the hands or faces, the hips always go forwards no matter what the hands and eyes are doing. Too many sidesteps and jinking runs have been the downfall over the past weeks. Also, if the tackler focuses on the hips he always tackles low! Something that each opposition this season have exploited.
From the restart of the second half Beccs kicked off and enabled full back Adam Tolman to take cleanly going forward and with his natural swerve and speed mesmerised Beccs to travel a good 50 metres before off loading to winger Dan Hillier who put on the afterburners and sprinted down the touch line to score wide out, all within the first minute of the half! Whatever Coaches Darren Molloy and Woody Woodward had said obviously paid off! 32-5. Daniel O’Rourke, the kicker, never received the tee, and therefore was unlucky not to score from his drop kick attempt that faded just in front of and to the right of the post. This score showed what Stones backs could do if they concentrated on simple, quick movement of the ball.
The restart kick again went to Adam Tolman , who encouraged by the previous score again set off linking up with Dan Hillier, who unfortunately knocks on. Beccs win their scrum but knock on after Callum Palmieri again brings down one of Beccs big players. However Dan O’Rourke goes off to be replaced on the field by Billy Monk who goes into the scrum, allowing Jordan Godden to go scrum half and Callum Palmieri to fly half. Folkestone are playing better at this stage and win a penalty, Callum Palmieri finds the touch. From the lineout Stones win the ball and get it out to Jordan Godden who interpasses with Callum Palmieri and getting the ball out to Dan Hillier who again goes over for a second try. This time Callum kicks the conversion sweetly from close to the touch line. 32-12. This is all within the first ten minutes of the second half and the travelling Folkestone supporters were looking a bit happier.
However this was not to last as five minutes later Beccs are scything their way through a stretched Stones defence to score in the corner. 37-12. After the restart Stones were given a penalty for not releasing in the tackle when Jordan had almost prised the ball out from the Beccs hands after Callum Palmieri had made another fine tackle. He then produced a good touch kick which gave Stones a lineout close to Beccs 22 metre line. Callum Palmieri made a break from the lineout ball and made ten metres before being tackled into touch. Bob Porter was able to make a short cameo run through several tackles. From a Beccs scrum they managed to score in the left corner for another unconverted try. 42-12.
Into the last ten minutes and Stones were starting to become disjointed and their defence stretched allowing Beccs to run in another two converted tries followed by an unconverted one. 61-12.
However Stones had the last word into injury time when they won a line out and formed a maul that trundled a good ten metres with the power coming from Mat Roots and Dave Jarvis which led to Rob Godden going over and scoring wide out. Callum Palmieri finished off his great contribution to stones game by getting the conversion. 61-19.
For his gallant efforts throughout the game Callum Palmieri was Stones Man of the Match.

Team: Adam Tolman; Louis Watson, Jeremie Cowell, Luke Robinson, Dan Hillier; Dan O'Rourke, Callum Palmieri; Bob Porter, Peter White, Mat Roots; David Jarvis, Rob Godden; Liam Trinder (Capt.), Jordan Godden, Scott Stewart.
Subs: Billy Monk, Conor Guilfoyle.
Scorers: Dan Hillier 5, 5; Callum Palmieri 2, 2; Rob Godden 5.