Blackheath 35 FRFC 5

Firstly i would like to say a huge thank you to those players who stepped up to play 2xv like Alex Box, Pete White, and Nick Ryall from the 4xv, who had to play out of position, or came out of a so called retirement, Adam Bloomfield!!, in order to fulfill this fixture. Under the new league rules if the 2xv had not fulfilled the fixture the teams below them, the 3xv(development team) and the 4xvs could have only played for a draw at best.
Now on with the game. The phrase 2the result doesnt represent the game" is often used, but in this case I can say that the score did flatter the opposition. From the start it was great to see players back playing after an absence, like Jordan Godden, Dave Ballard, Adam Bloomfield, Will Silvey. The home side had a strong start, and quickly got the ball to their winger who i was told before the start was in the Saracens set-up, i can see why as with a great step and expected pace scored in corner. Folkestone then came back into it with some applied pressure, forcing Blackheath to clear down field and then with the Folkestone backs covering across the beloved rugby ball bounce, took a horrendous bounce into the hands of a Blackheath back who had a clear run to the line. Then from the resulting kick off Dave Ballard made the tackle on the catcher but unfortunately it resulted on him injuring his knee, forcing to leave the pitch for the rest of the game. This brought on Will Silvey the only sub as fly-half and Thomo Murray had to move from fly-half to Number 8(more on this evolution later), and Kieran Smith moving to second row., this led to apart from the front row to every other current forward playing out of position. But in typical Folkestone spirit no-one ducked from the challenge. For the rest of the half both teams applied pressure, with the Blackheath forwards and Folkestone backs getting the slight better over their counterparts. The half closed out with Blackheath scoring a try, and Folkestone missing a penalty kick. 19-0.

The half-time allowed Folkestone to re-group and focus on playing their style of running rugby. And from the ko of 2nd half they went at Blackheath with a new vigour, seeing the likes of Mickey Turnover Attia, John the Hand Off Eustace making ball carry after ball carry, Jack I can run through a hole better than my brothers Brooks, Kieran 1 man maul Smith, Aaron I want to be a winger Robbins, and the rest of the squad all backing their skills. Where we would often watch them create an overlap and use it. Even on their own line if the opportunity was on they would have a go and make ground with the Blackheath scrambling to shut them down. The stand out evolution of the game was Thomo Murray Mccaw. He chopped down many a Blackheath forward who thought they could just run over him(wrong!!), was a leaping Salmon in the lineout, and dodged his way over the gain line on many occasions.

Throughout the second half whenever Blackheath had the ball they relied and used on their much bigger forwards, with in particular their no.6 who was a very strong ball carrier. Folkestone put their bodies on the line time after time, but due to sheer pressure, Blackheath forced their way over to score and make it 26-0. At this point Folkestone went down to 14 men for 10 minutes while Adam ill use my head to tackle if needed Fullerton, rested on sidelines after taking a knock, ill leave you to work out where!!!Even with 14 Folkestone continued to play expansive wide rugby to get Joe Fancy Boots Johnson and Nick Bulldozer Ryall in the game, everytime time they got the ball they made yards for the team, but as before Blackheath managed to scramble and force a turnover or a mistake from Folkestone. During this period as before Blackheath used their forwards and having the extra man counted as they forced themselves upfield with the extra man being a winger who in Ashton style came infield for the ball and scored. 33-0.

But with 5 minutes to play, and im not biased in saying this was the score of the game, as their supporters backed me up. After Blackheath battered the Folkestone line and somehow Will im so pretty Silvey got under the ball to stop a certain try. So from their own line Folkestone got the ball, and scored a pitch length try, via hands, ball retention and finally Jack Brooks breaking through to offload to John Eustace to score the best and most deserved try of the day. Conversion missed 33-5. There was time left for both teams to have another go, in the dying moments Blackheath kicked through and chased for a try, for Pete right place right time White to cover and kick the ball dead to end the game.

This game showed what it means to play for Folkestone, bodies on the line, and never giving in. Although the result didnt go Fokestones way, the future will.