FRFC 14 Sheppey 30

In John Kidson Folkestone RFC has their very own Captain Mainwaring and now I feel like another Dad’s Army character, Private Fraser saying we’re DOOOOMED because this performance from Folkestone was so bad it was embarrassing. Home supporters left the ground very quietly lamenting a second lacklustre display. Where has it all gone so wrong? In preseason friendlies Folkestone hammered 2 teams in the division above them. The rugby they played was glorious but now after 2 league matches, firstly a draw with Park House and now this thrashing from a Sheppey team who got better and better as the game progressed Folkestone are in the doldrums. The Folkestone curse of unavailable players carries on. The initial Folkestone squad that was selected on Tuesday night ended up with 8 changes when the final squad was selected on Thursday and even on the morning of the game one player, Joe Johnson, had to pull out because of a nasty gland problem which saw him hospitalised. Knowing young Johnson he would have been taken to hospital kicking and screaming that he wanted to play for his team and it was that attitude that was lacking in far too many players today. These changes obviously disrupted the team but that’s no excuse for the attitude of too many players who played with no conviction nor determination.
Before I cut my throat I’ll get on with the report. Folkestone started well with the home pack driving the Sheppey forwards back and the home backs were looking dangerous. But that good start ended after 10 minutes as Sheppey took control of the ball and pinned Folkestone into their own half for the rest of the first period. Whenever Folkestone got the ball they soon handed it back to the opposition either with an aimless kick upfield or a poor pass or a dropped ball. I don’t think Folkestone enjoyed any possession lasting over 30 seconds. By contrast when the visitors kicked the ball they kicked well with some probing kicks deep into the corner. When they spun the ball through the hands they produced some sweeping moves with the ball flying from wing to wing as they moved upfield looking for a score. Eventually that score had to come and the only surprise was that it took so long. Unsurprisingly it came from a stupid Folkestone kick which gave Sheppey an excellent position to attack the left wing. After a bit of a scramble the ref awarded a try which was disputed by the home support. 0-5.
Seconds later Sheppey doubled the score. They won a penalty and an excellent kick saw them earn a lineout on the right wing 5 metres from the try-line. Unfortunately for the home support those opening minutes where the Folkestone pack looked to have the advantage were a distant memory and Sheppey worked a simple catch and drive. The ref awarded the try and again the home support disputed the decision. But to be fair if that was their team “scoring” they would have demanded the score. 0-10.
The home support hoped that the interval discussion would kick some posteriors but the home team meandered back onto the pitch, the body language uninspiring and from the kick-off Folkestone immediately lost possession when the kick went straight out of play. Scrum to Sheppey on the halfway line and immediately they were back on the attack. They emphasised their superiority with 2 penalties. 0-16.
Even then there was still some supporters who felt that if Folkestone could score next they could get into the game. Unfortunately Sheppey had other ideas and they kept their foot on the throttle. Their pack was so in control by now that they drove the home forwards back beyond the try-line with a rolling maul that started outside the home 22. And by now the Sheppey kicker had found his boots to add the conversion. 0-23.
Sheppey then lost one of their best players with a nasty elbow injury and he was taken to hospital. I wondered if his loss might signal a fightback and to a degree Folkestone did start to enjoy more possession but again the repeated errors destroyed any chance they had to score until, finally, Bradley Pearson, one of the Folkestone youngsters who has impressed this season erupted into the game with a fine individual score when he showed his team mates how to do it. The conversion was scored. 7-23.
I thought that was going to be the clichéd consolation score but in the dying minutes, firstly Sheppey scored again to earn them a bonus point and then Folkestone scored again through Ben Flatman and a 14-30 defeat . The score doesn’t reflect the game as Sheppey were well on top and thoroughly deserved this victory which keeps them on top of the table with 3 bonus point wins from their 3 starts. Folkestone lie in 11th place 13 points behind!
On Saturday Folkestone travel to Gillingham Anchorians.

Squad:

R Lama, M Roots, W Massey, P Smith, B Flatman, K Johnson, T Wood, A Beazley, J Johnson, J Cox, B Brooks, C Petley, J Morton, R Bowen, B Pearson, R Carrigan, T Carville, K Smith