A good Big ‘un will usually beat a good Little ‘un

A good Big ‘un will usually beat a good Little ‘un
This match was technically a Folkestone home game. When it was cancelled on 9th November Folkestone had not followed RFU procedures and their punishment was to play both games against Horsham at Horsham. Folkestone were in black and green with Horsham in green and white shirts.

As it turned out the day was worse than when it was cancelled, drizzling rain and strong winds all day. Horsham played on their third pitch, which had a big slope. They played with the wind and their kick off along the ground meant Folkestone were pegged into their own 22 for long periods. The fact that Horsham had a far bigger pack than Folkestone put the latter at a huge disadvantage and even on their own put in they were bring shunted backwards.

Horsham used this fact to go for push over tries. They were held out for over half an hour but eventually got their push over try, unconverted. 0-5. Ten minutes later they camped on the Folkestone try line and got a second push over try under the posts, converted, 12-0. As half time approached Folkestone were determined to prevent a third but in their enthusiasm they gave away a penalty try for persistent infringing in the ruck and it was 19 – 0 at half time.

Folkestone did some good things in the first half with a good break out by Seyhan Fell, which sadly came to nought. Then a perfectly placed kick by Jon Morton was collected by Fell who was bundled into touch near the try line. Everybody’s tackling was hard and effective.

All watching were looking forward in anticipation to Folkestone using the slope and wind to good effect and reaping their own bundle of tries. Sadly it was not to be and all their pounding at the Horsham try line produced a solitary penalty goal landed by Fell. 3-19 Good breaks were made by Morton and Richard Dagger to open up the defence but both scoring passes were dropped or knocked on. At one maul on the Horsham try line Horsham fly hacked the ball into the Folkestone half and only stout defending prevented them getting a bonus point for the 4th try.

The zest had come back to Folkestone’s play this week, but with so many playmakers and beefy men not available it was to no avail. Horsham deserved to win because on the day they were bigger and better, but Folkestone can rightly say: “We won the second half!”

Man of the match is difficult. It was Fell in the first half and Morton and Dagger in the second. Let it be a shared award between Morton and Fell.

Team: Seyhan Fell; Richie Bowen, John Eustace, Will Silvey, Richard Dagger; Jon Morton, Jordan Godden; Martin Murray (Capt.), Warren Blandford, Tom Carvill; Kieran Smith, Kevin Murray; Will Turner, Chris Petley, Michael Gardner.
Subs: Jack Cox, Steve Doughty, Tim Wood,