FRFC 18 Bromley 17

Folkestone R.F.C. are on the road to recovery. In the last four games
they were thrashed by Maidstone, narrowly lost to Sheppey, drew with
Gillingham Anchorians and nave now narrowly beaten Bromley.
These two teams always provide an entertaining tight match. They have played each other twice before with Bromley winning their home league match by a single point and Folkestone winning away in the cup match by a single try so today would be a sort of decider and once again we watched a thriller with both teams having chances to win the game.
This was a tightly fought match in the end but in the opening quarter
Bromley only once set foot in the Folkestone half and I had a feeling that the home side were going to win it. Bromley had other thoughts however and though being down eight points to nil within
20 minutes, fought their way back to lead 17 - 8 by half time.
Let's go back to the start where Coach Darren Malloy had to shuffle his
team around AGAIN due to lack of availability with Scotty Evans back at
fly half, Lucio Dublino starting in the centre, Elliot Jones on one wing and Jon Morton on the other. In the pack Pat Smith played lock whilst the two youngsters Tim Wood and George Flatman started on the bench, having been ill during the week together with Tom Snare making his debut for the 1st XV.
There was plenty of movement in the home threequarter line but Bromley
held firm and it was not until Ritchie Bowen started off a movement from a lineout in the visitors corner that a series of attacks by Evans, John Eustace, Chris Petley and Dublino ended with Folkestone being awarded a penalty which Jon Morton slotted to lead by 3 - 0.
Mike Gardner combined well with Jak Cox to set up a number of attacks
by Petley, Eustace, Moose Murray and Bradley Pearson but the Bromley
defence held firm.
The visitors then started to put on pressure in the Folkestone half and
looked certain to score a try with an overlap on the left when Jak Cox
intercepted the last pass and ran 70 metres to score a try which went
unconverted.
Bromley hit back with a try which seemed so simple for Folkestone to
avoid but everybody underestimated the speed by which the visitors right wing followed up an innocuous kick ahead to hack it on and score a converted try 8 - 7. The same wing found enough room a few minutes later to round the Folkestone defence to stick the ball down near enough to the posts to earn an easy conversion. 8 -
14. The penalty count against Folkestone at this time was horrendous and another one for crossing gave the visitors the half time score of 8 - 17.
I would have liked to hear the half time pep talk that Coach Malloy
gave to his players but whatever it was it seemed to perk them up and
Bromley did not score any points in the second half. Not that they did
not get close, but the Folkestone players put their bodies on the line
and did not shirk the tackles. Eustace was his usual crunching self and
Tom Carvill and Petley also made their presence felt. Ritchie Bowen was
substituted at half time as was due to play for Kent Under 21 the
following day but still wanted to play his part in Folkestone's progress. That's my type of player... His place was taken by young Tim Wood and George Flatman replaced Smith in the second row. The interpassing between Cox, Evans, Petley, Eustace and Morton gave plenty for the crowd to cheer and with Pearson and Jones, the flyingyoungsters, got close on numerous occasions but could not always finish the move successfully.
Pearson nearly scored in the corner but was bundled into touch and then
Jon Morton scored a cracker of a try when there seemed to be no way
through the defence. The ball flew along the line to Evans who chipped
through the advancing defence for Morton to chase and dive to score in
the very corner of the in goal area. No conversion 13 - 17
Time was now getting on and however much they tried the home side could
not penetrate the visitors defence until finally, Pearson put Morton
away to round the defence for his second try.18 -17
Tom Snare nearly got on the scoreboard when he charged down a kick out
of defence in the in goal area of Bromley but the bounce beat him.
Bromley were desperately trying to score or get a penalty in the dying
minutes but Folkestone held their line and breathed a sigh of relief
when the ref finally blew his whistle.
Man Of The Match was a difficult choice this week as there were so many
contenders for the award but the concensus of opinion saw it going to
Jon Morton for his two tries and general work rate around the park.
If you seek thrilling rugby then Folkestone's the team to follow. This season they have been involved in 2 tied matches (quite a rare thing in rugby) and 7 other matches which have been decided with 5 or less points between the teams. I must make sure I take my blood pressure tablets for Stones' rugby!

Squad:
W Massey, M Murray, T Carvill, T Snare, P Smith, B Flatman, G Flatman, R Bowen, C Petley, M Gardner, J Cox, S Evans, E Jones, J Eustace, L Dublino, J Morton, B Pearson, T Wood