With Anchs seeking revenge for an eleven try, 71 point, thrashing at Folkestone last September, the sunshine was a common factor in this reverse fixture but the result was the same for Anchs as they struggled to perform against the Folkstone team who are now well into the season with a settled squad, demonstrating how well they can play a good type of entertaining rugby, when conditions permit.

Unfortunately, this game was marred by two red cards, four yellow cards, twenty-five penalties and seemingly as many knock-ons. But in the meantime, Folkestone scored five tries and resisted every attempt by Anchs. to score just once, even though they shared territorial and possession advantage equally.

Anchs started impressively and had The Stones firmly back in defence resisting attacks on both wings and some determined charges down the middle - all well within the 22-metre zone but one slip and Liam Trinder broke away, linking with Jordan Godden to take play where Anchs conceded a desperation penalty. A kick into touch 5 metres out and now the Folkestone forwards combined in a moving maul before Connor Leather wormed his way through the mass of players touch down over the line, Seyhan Fell converting. 0 – 7.

Although Anchs fought back, they were soon back-pedalling as John Eustace slipped a short pass to Jon Morton who made a clean break through the middle, but it was so unexpected that the last-ditch defence stopped it before the support arrived. A kicking exchange produced some very long punts but, as was the way of this game, mishandling mistakes, scrums and penalties galore were the only entertainment. Anchs worked their way into the serious threat area, but again the Folkestone forwards held strongly.

James Archer and Kieran Smith do not feature much in open play, but in close quarter combat they are a very effective hidden force in the middle of the mauls and rucks. The contact area always congested, and it became a little niggly. Yellow Cards were issued to Anchs and to Rob Godden, the latter for backchat which was annoying for him, and the coaching team.

The game sparked into action with the Eustace and Morton combination when they broke through to give Freddy Faiers a run on the left wing, resulting in a penalty to Folkestone – another 5 metre line out, a scrum with Folkestone ball, easily won, and Liam Trinder darted to the blind side, and then switched back to the open side leaving Anchs a man or two short as Freddy Faiers took the pass and galloped over. A good conversion by Fell saw a 0 – 14 lead. Soon to become 0 – 21.

Scotty Stewart seized another short, but telling pass from John Eustace and inexplicably was allowed through gap after gap that opened up for him. He didn’t quite have the speed to make it all the way but Callum Palmieri, close by side, did as he dodged past the retreating defence to touch down for the third converted try before the half time whistle. 0-21.

The tenor of the match was well established. Folkestone had the enterprise and the speed to worry Anchs and they also had the defence to cope with everything that was demanded of them – and this was significant. ‘Thomo’ Murray had brilliant break and run centre-field and John Eustace put Jon Morton away on a clear run, but the hand to hand pass was adjudged to be forward. Jordan Godden then put Palmieri, Morton, Eustace and finally Faiers into full flight and over the line, but the ball was a centimetre short. Two quick let-offs for Anchs!

But there was no let off in the ensuing scrum, as the back row craftily held the ball and feinting to go right, but Alex Price went left – and left alone to score the bonus point try. Seyhan Fell had been rested, but Callum. Palmieri put the conversion wide. 0 – 26.

All three substitutes for Folkestone were used and positions were swapped around in the last quarter but by this time Anchs had been played out of the game as a few minor frustrations manifested themselves. Dan Hillier and Freddy Faiers had a fast and exciting run after Anchs had gamely fought back – even to the 5-metre zone. But the signs of weariness were evident. A three-quarter combination, a scrum to Folkestone, followed by a maul had them back to their own line when Connor Leather spotted a wide-open gap and short sprinted through to touch down, untouched. 0 – 31.

In the final minute of the game a minor brouhaha developed into a squabble, a push and shove and full-scale donnybrook in which an Anchs non-playing substitute joined very physically only to have a punch thrown at him. Very regrettably, and for the first time since 2002 or before, a red card was shown to a Folkestone 1stXV player, Dave Ballard and also to the non-playing instigator from Gillingham.

This was an extremely regrettable end to a game that Folkestone won comfortably in the score-line, but not quite so comfortably in fact as the Anchs showed quite a lot of brio and perhaps a failure to register a score reflected more on the Folkestone defence than the effort Anchs put into trying to do so.

Team: Seyhan Fell (Capt.); Fred Faiers, Jon Morton, John Eustace, Thomo Murray; Callum Palmieri, Jordan Godden; Liam Trinder, Alex Price, Scotty Stewart; Robert Godden, Kieran Smith; Tom Snare, Connor Leather, James Archer.
Subs: David Ballard, Jeremie Cowell, Daniel Hillier.

Scorers: Leather 5, 5; Fell 2, 2, 2; Faiers 5; Palmieri 5; Price 5.