FRFC 15 Dover 24

This proved to be an entertaining game despite the gloomy, misty afternoon played on a very
soggy pitch. One consolation was that the rain had stopped...
This was a mixed Folkestone side including six Under 18's and a few players home from University for the holidays. The youngsters were bolstered by old hands in Matt Roots, Will Turner and Adam Bloomfield and the mix blended well.
Aaron Robbins started the move for the Folkekstone first
try when he crashed over the Dover line only to be held up. From the
resulting scrum the ball flew along the home side to see Bill Silvey
cross for a try which he then converted.
Regular 'trundles' up the park by Roots and Bloomfield had Folkestone going forward with support from the youngsters Snare, Farrow, Jarvis and Robbins. With Joe Johnson snapping at their heels he was able to provide the threequarters with a supply of decent ball. Another Roots 'trundle' set up a loose maul inside the Dover 22 area and Johnson fed the line to see Tommo Murray cross for an unconverted try. Half time Folkestone led by 12 - 0.

Another near score for the home side developed with a kick ahead into
space and the pack carried the ball over the try line only to have it
held up again. Dover then started to put long, searching kicks behind
the Folkestone defence and from a loose maul the ball travelled across
the Dover threequarter line for a converted try 12-7.
Dover struck again within minutes pressing Folkestone back into their 22 area to see their hooker jink his way in under the posts for a converted try. 12 - 14.
It was nice to see the return of Tom Ash, Pete Silvey, Richard
Dagger and Jon Mapp even if only for a short period of time. Folkestone took the lead again with a penalty by Bill Silvey (15 - 14) only to see Dover reply with a penalty of their own (15 - 17).
Tommo Murray and Will Turner showed endeavour in making good ground but both moves fizzled out due to good defence by the visitors. Dover maintained pressure on the Folkestone line and were finally rewarded with another well worked try which was converted from near the touch line.