FRFC 28 Pulborough 8

The last time I watched this Folkestone squad in action was when they lost 80-0 to Maidstone in their first game of the New Year. It was a horrible experience. So how would they fare 9 weeks later? In the interim they have beaten Bromley, drawn with Gillingham Anchorians and lost to Horsham and Uckfield.
Well, the news is heartening. You could never accuse a Folkestone team of not showing commitment and passion and those elements to their game were on display here. Coach, Darren Molloy still has a very lengthy injury list to contend with but many of his youngsters in their first year of senior rugby are rising to the challenge and the plus point is that they are gaining valuable experience. Skipper, Will Massey has taken over the captaincy from Richard Lama who is out until next season with a serious back injury. Massey is leading his team from the front. Today he was everywhere and always near the ball. It was an inspiring performance. As a skipper he shows diplomacy and courtesy in his dealings with referees but it is his play on the pitch which is setting such a good example to his team mates. I’ve had to make do with watching videos of Folkestone games in recent weeks and despite Ian Fell’s shoddy camera-work it’s clear that the Folkestone pack is coming on well and I think that is down to the front row with the skipper, Massey and his 2 starting props, Tom Carvill and Moose Murray with Tom Snare coming on as impact sub in the second half. At just 18 years of age Carvill and Snare are incredible. They both have a real future in the game and in Molloy they have one of the best tutors of the “dark acts of the scrum”. And then, of course, there is Murray. He will go down in Folkestone folklore, I believe, as a Folkestone Great. He does everything his coaches ask of him and more. He’s only being transformed into a prop in the last couple of seasons after playing at Back Row, Second Row and Hooker. In his younger days he was also a very good scrum half but he also possesses an amazing personality which his team mates and supporters love. Young George Flatman and Tim Wood are showing tremendous potential in the pack and the 2 terriers in the back row, Chris Petley and Richie Bowen are terrifying the opposition. Old boys Ben Flatman and Mike Gardner are looking after their young team mates always putting in hard work. So it’s fair to say that the pack is on the up.
I’ll talk about the game and return to the backs afterwards.
From the whistle Pulborough attacked and had much posession but never looked like scoring a try as the home defence held them at bay. In the 11th minute Folkestone broke out of their 22 with Luciano Dublino driving the team forward with a powerful run into Pulborough territory. He was eventually engulfed by his opponents but still managed to set the ball perfectly for his team. The ball found Seyhan Fell attacking from deep and he carved a beautiful line on his way to the posts and then converted the try. 7-0.
Pulborough have not had much luck since their promotion to this league and they are in the relegation struggle. But they have bags of commitment and they play some good stuff. They appeared to have just 1 sub today which suggests they don’t have strength in depth and to get through a season at this standard you need about 28 players. I felt from the moment Folkestone scored their first try they had enough to win this one. However regular readers will know that the Stones are always able to grab defeat from the jaws of victory and then, of course, there is the penalty count. At half time Folkestone had conceded 9 penalties to Pulborough’s 1! That’s the sort of statistic that can see you playing with 14 men for 10 minutes or so.
Back to the game. From one of those penalties Pulborough got themselves on the scoreboard with a terrific kick from 40 metres. 7-3.
10 minutes later and Dublino again hit the throttle and powered his way upfield piercing the Pulborough defence and getting his team on the front foot. Suddenly Folkestone found themselves attacking across the 5 metre line with Lewis Howland in charge of the choreography. It was good to see him, another youngster, back in the control room again. The Pulborough defence held well until Jack Cox picked up a difficult ball and dived for the line. Cox reads a game very well and his positioning is very good. So once again he made a decisive move to score with Fell adding the conversion. 14-3.
Inexplicably Dublino was not involved in Folkestone’s third score which was started by Elliott Jones, this time, breaking out of the home 22. He made it to the halfway line where Jon Morton took over with Bradley Pearson in support. Morton switched the ball perfectly to Pearson who took a perfect line to score under the posts. He added the conversion. 21-3 and that was half time.
Most of the second half saw both defences in charge until the 70th minute when after a series of pick and gos the visitors scored a well earned try. 21-8.
Folkestone saved the best for the final minute. They surged into the Pulborough half earning a penalty on the 22 in front of the posts. It was a certain 3 pointer and the touchline supporters were calling for the kick. Skipper Massey didn’t listen and learnt that the game was almost over so opted for a scrum. Once again the Stones front row, now with Snare on for Murray, held firm. Massey struck the ball perfectly and with the scrum holding firm Mike Gardner picked the ball up at the back and made his way to the line. Before the game began I had a brief word with Gardner and said that he has to learn to pass the ball better. He accepted the positive criticism so bear that in mind please. because he then made the most perfect reverse pass to Lucio Dublino, who else, who was crashing in behind him and he was not going to be stopped as he earned a bonus point for Folkestone with the fourth try of the game. Egg on my face? Yes, as usual! And just to cap an excellent performance Bradley Pearson hit a beautiful conversion from way out on the right touchline. 28-8.
Back to the report card. I’ve covered the pack but what about the backs? For many seasons the backs have been Folkestone’s saving grace as the forwards struggled against much bigger opponents. The backs, though, could use searing pace and the Stones’s back 3, with the likes of Ben Brooks, Drew Woolford and Seyhan Fell was a much feared unit. In the centre Richard Lama was always a major threat but this season has seen coach, Molloy, blood his youngsters and trust them. They have not let him down. Bradley Pearson impressed from his first game and still does. Elliott Jones has become a regular 1st teamer and grows in confidence. At 9 Lewis Howland shows great potential and has a sweet pass. Jon Morton has won “Most Improved Player” for the past 2 seasons and he is impressive, both, in defence and attack. And there is Luciano Dublino. He has left his native Naples to learn rugby - Folkestone style. Personally I think he is simply a superb bloke. And it’s good to see that his team mates trust and respect him by giving him the ball often. He possesses a lethal hand off which puts any opponent, trying to stop him, in grave danger. He has been a terrific signing for the club.
So there you have it. With so many youngsters coming through the future is rosy. Unless, of course they all leave for university. Over the seasons the club has suffered because they have to many clever youngsters.
Folkestone’s Man of the Match? I had a real problem selecting just one when there are so many candidates. So I asked the guv’nor Molloy and he had a problem too eventually declaring a short list of Morton, Howland, Dublino and Carvill and after several minutes of contemplation he went for Tom Carvill.
With just 4 matches left this season Molloy will want to win them all. Even a tough one at promotion-chasing Tunbridge Wells. This squad have the potential to do it and I certainly wouldn’t put it past them. I get the feeling that Molloy and his fellow coaches are gearing themselves up for a promotion challenge next season and these last games could be the perfect springboard. That challenge begins on Saturday with an away match at Vigo.
Squad:
W Massey, M Murray, T Carvill, T Snare, G Flatman, T Wood, R Bowen, C Petley, M Gardner, P Smith, M Gardner, L Howland, J Morton, B Pearson, E Jones, L Dublino, J Cox, S Fell

MORE PHOTOS TO BE ADDED