This was an important match for both teams to win if they are to challenge for a top three league position.

Report by Alan Schofield
Folkestone travelled to Horsham for the second time this season, having suffered a defeat in atrocious conditions on a third team pitch last December. But playing conditions were better this day for an almost full strength team.
This was an important match for both teams to win if they are to challenge for a top three league position. Before the kick-off they were only separated by two points, but Horsham were 2 places above Folkestone in the league table.
Folkestone beat a powerful Horsham team with their own brand of unpredictable rugby with flair in attack and solidarity in defence.
Inexplicably the home side elected to play on the same inadequate third team field as earlier in the season, with pronounced slopes from end to end and side to side. The senior pitch was seen to be in an eminently playable state – therefore it was assumed that this remarkable decision was for tactical reasons. If so, it rebounded badly on the decision makers. Moreover, there were muttering on the touchline that it was disrespectable for this important game between two of the top teams in the division.
Within 12 minutes Horsham found themselves 0 – 12 down. Richie Bowen forced himself over the line on the left wing through a wall of defensive players. And this was swiftly followed when Will Silvey made a break in the centre and fed Richard Dagger to score under the posts. Seyhan Fell converted.
But the opponents immediately fought back with a series of sustained attacks on the left resulting a good try on the left wing, converted from distance for a 7 – 12 score line after 15 minutes. But within 5 minutes the gap was opened to 7 – 19 when a lovely combination of cross field inter-passing between John Eustace, Ollie Walton and Will Silvey put Adam Tolman over on the left, well converted by Seyhan Fell.
A series of penalties against Folkestone brought Horsham back into a good field position and again the visitors had to yield to some robust forward play and an unconverted try. From the kick off The Stones immediately attacked and created an overlap with Seyhan Fell strongly running at the line with Richie Bowen unmarked in close attendance. But Seyhan tried the dummy and a jink inside which the solitary Horsham defender read and stopped a certain try.
Warren Blandford, the ever present hooker, made two good breaks with Martin Murray in attendance to force play into the opponents half again where they conceded two penalty kicks at goal by Seyhan Fell - the second being successful and the gap widened to 12 – 22 at half time.
But now Horsham had an advantage of playing downhill and one wondered if the 10 point lead was sufficient – especially when Horsham mounted determined attacks for the first 10 minutes of the second half, but The Stones held out with stoic work by the Folkestone forwards led so capably by ‘Moose’ Murray. Liam Regardsoe and Ben Stringer were tireless in defence, so much so that Horsham decided to take a drop kick to earn something from their efforts, and keep in touch with a score of 15 – 22.
Any thoughts that Horsham might turn this game around were quickly snuffed out when the ever-present Chris Petley and Will Turner released Ben Stringer to make ground for Adam Tolman to score the bonus point try converted by Seyhan Fell and a 15 – 29 score.
Staged substitutions brought on Scott Stewart, Steve Doughty for Warren Blandford and Will Turner.
Penalties against Folkestone brought Horsham back into attack but a second failed to find touch which allowed Adam Tolman to run the ball, making the break through the opponents back line – feeding Chris Petley and, in turn, Richard Dagger whose pure speed was easily enough to score on the right wing. Seyhan Fell converted. The score was 15 – 36 and Horsham looked discouraged and defeated to the delight of the loyal band of The Stones supporters.
Folkestone then pressured again directly from the kick off but and the forwards were rampant, Tom Carvill was a force in the thick of things, and Michael Gardner was strong and hard to bring down feeding their backs with good ball. Tolman was desperately late tackled which resulted in a yellow card for Horsham – something they didn’t need especially as the resultant penalty brought The Stones into an attacking position. Liam Regardsoe, tall, strong and young was massive in the battle of the forwards and it was Scott Stewart that forced through to touch down to bring the score to 15 – 41 with minutes to go.
Unnecessarily, Scott Stewart made a robust tackle in the line-out and was given a yellow card which allowed another attack and eventually a loose pass in defence allowed Horsham a late try against the run of play and the final score of 20 – 41.
This was thoroughly well-deserved and excellent result for The Stones which lifted them to fourth place in the table and only a point behind Gillingham. On this form, Folkestone will be a difficult team to beat in the final five matches of the season. Next Saturday sees a home game for only the second time this year, against Uckfield who gave The Stones a fright in a 22 – 22 draw last November.
Team: Martin Murray(Capt), Warren Blandford, Tom Carvill; Liam Regardsoe, Ben Stringer; Chris Petley, Will Turner, Michael Gardner; Adam Tolman, Will Silvey; Richie Bowen, John Eustace, Ollie Walton, Richard Dagger; Seyhan Fell.
Subs: Kieran Smith, Steve Doughty; Scott Stewart.