FRFC 42 Sevenoaks 15

This was an entertaining game to watch despite the cold and the rain
which made the greasy ball difficult to handle.
It was also pleasing to see the mix of young players (J. Brooks,
Farrow, Mead , Robbins and Jarvis) being encouraged by the more senior
players (Roots, Turner and Baxter) and performing as a team once they
had had the chance to settle down. Sevenoaks were dominant for the first quarter and Folkestone only managed to get into their half on one
occasion.During the sorting out period, Sevenoaks opened the score with an unconverted try created by an overlap out on the left and would have
immediately increased the score further but for a try saving tackle from young Jack Brooks
When finally the home side got their act together they got to within
feet of the Sevenoaks posts only to lose the ruck and watch a break
which took them back in their own 22 area.
One of the Sevenoaks players had his marching orders and Folkestone
took advantage to gain a loose maul under the visitors posts for Will
Turner to pop out with it and score for Jak Cox to convert. 7 - 5.
Then a cracking move from a loose maul in the Sevenoaks half saw Roots,
Brooks and Eustace combine to put Shane Burton over for a try which Cox
again converted. 14 - 5. Burton and Adam Fullerton both had a strong
presence around the field and should be pushing for a first team place
next season.
A Folkestone lapse then saw them let in another try (14 - 10) before
Dan Wooford worked his magic waltzed through the opposition to score
under the posts which Cox converted. 21 - 10.
Pat Smith, David Baxter and Alex Randall replaced Jarvis, Mead and
Farrow only to let in a simple try when Cox failed to catch a high ball
and see a Sevenoaks centre hack the ball over the line to reduce the
lead 21 - 15.
Fokestone then took control and some good running and interpassing saw
Jack Brooks just fail to score by some desperate tackling. Then from a
rolling maul, Captain Kieran Smith popped over for a try which Cox again converted. Roots was proving difficult to stop until Sevenoaks found that he could not trundle forward without his legs...
The next score was the try of the day when Cox found Jack Brooks
outside him who in turn fed his brother Ben. He then returned the
compliment and passed back to Jack who fed Adam Fullerton to see him
crash over for another try. Cox again complemented the score.John
Eustace had ten minutes in the bin for being over enthusiastic before
Adam Tolman got in on the act to hack the ball out of his own 22 area
and dribbled it down to the opposition 22 area but could not retrieve
the ball for what would have been a remarkable try.
The game ended with the indefatigable Roots moving like a Centurion
Tank, then feeding Baxter who did a trundle of his own to cross for the
final score. Jak Cox added the conversion from the touchline and gave a
remarkable performance by kicking all six conversions - two from
difficult positions.
As I said an entertaining game in which Sevenoaks played their share.
They were happy to run the ball whenever they were able and often
required desperate tackling to prevent them from increasing their score.
However this was pay back time for Folkestone who were well beaten in
the away game but with the suspicion that they were playing against a
number of the Sevenoaks First XV.
My Man of the Match would go to Mat Roots with accolades for Shane
Burton and Adam Fullerton. Dan Woolford proved to be a quality link with the threequarters. Once the team had settled down one had the feeling
that if this side could be kept together they could quite happily take
on all comers.

(Editor's Note: A great way for this remarkable squad to play in their last home game this season. Well done lads)