A tough game in South East London on Saturday.

BECCEHAMIAN 45 pts FOLKESTONE A XV 6 pts
12th September 2015 By Alan Schofield

An eclectic team of twenty players from all the different levels at the Club was quickly put together when the opportunity for a practice run out at short notice was offered by Beccehamians, the popular Croydon based Club.
But the Folkestone team were rather outclassed by having to face what was basically a first XV, with a few reserves, and they lost by seven tries and five conversions to a couple of long range penalty kicks.
But for a Club, this pre-season match practice is a good exercise – and necessary because only so much can be gained from the regular Tuesday and Thursday training sessions.
It was good to see some true ‘vets’ donning the Folkestone colours – Pete White, Simon Himbury and Gareth Webber with a combined age (rumour has it) of about 152 years.
Beccehamians, however, had a young and strong looking team that put the Folkestone XV under the pressure of defending their own line for the first 15 minutes of the game, but only yielding one try. They had a chance of going ahead when Alex Pritchard intercepted in his own 10 metre area and released Jeremy Cowell on an eighty metre run before being caught by the opposition a metre short of the try line. To their credit, there was a quick follow up – and only and unfortunate knock on cruelly denied Folkestone a try.
Beccs. scored three more tries before half time as they put the visitors to the test both in the backs and the forwards.
First XV full back Seyhan Fell was able to relieve some of the pressure by long kicks but the attacking tide soon returned and four more tries had to be conceded.
Individual efforts by Harry Smith and Jordan Godden (later retired because of a cut to the scalp) were to no avail and Folkestone were found lacking in match practice and cohesion with the constant changing of positions with the interchange of players.
Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable day and when the players disperse to their normal teams as the season proper starts next weekend – they will have benefitted from their day out in Croydon.
Next Saturday the 1stt XV are away at Bromley in London League 3 SE – with hopefully a full strength squad to pick from – and there are Shepherd Neame League home matches for the 2nd XV (v Thanet 2) and 3rd XV (Thanet 4) team games.
The Rugby World Cup starts on Friday (England v Fiji KO 20:00, Club open 19:00) and the Club have acquired a 103” H.D TV in the Clubhouse that will enable all-comers to watch all the action in exceptional surroundings and in comfort with a good ambience and a wide choice of drinks served by an amiable and indefatigable bar staff.