Whitstable 44 FRFC 12

Déjà vu for the start of the 2011/12 season with player availability and selection proving to be the most significant problem for those responsible for fielding the sides, The 3’s alone having a squad of twenty two players reduced to sixteen by match day. The intention was originally to take an experienced side away to Whitstable with a few players coming back into the game ( one having not played since his school days) to have a short blooding towards the end of the game. This rapidly turned into those guys jumping in at the deep end and playing anywhere needed, Dave Tumber in at Centre and Lee Freeman on the wing, Both did a sterling job.

The game started with Folkestone receiving the kick, facing the wind and the Whitstable slope, it went through five minutes of cat and mouse with both teams feeling each other out with no real chances coming.

This eventually changed when some well distributed ball found a number of Whitstable players who were prepared to carry the ball and run at the Stones defence, the first try was scored and opened a period of play where the home side found some flow. Folkestone’s scrambled defence worked hard but failed to knit as a unit early on, early season game/situational awareness cost us on a couple of occasions, but isn’t that what these games are for ?

Stones replied to Whitstable’s 30 odd points with a phased attack of the Whitstable line, Drew Woolford finally providing the ball for his brother to run in.

The second half was a different game altogether, ( second Déjà vu of the day ) Folkestone pack began to take charge of the tight play and give Whitstable some real problems, Ben Stringer at second row was putting in some overtime in the big hits department and the front row of Paul Williamson, CDB & Joe Wilson where controlling their counterparts.

The second Stones Try came from Drew Woolford who did what he does best weaving through two defenders to score, Alex Prichard converted and in the words of the ref when I checked the score-line “ you're winning the second half “

This was about to change again when during the next ten minutes of the game we lost player after player to injury, Firstly Ben Stringer ( shoulder ) then Jamie Brown ( Ribs) and finally Drew Woolford ( shoulder) with only sixteen players available this took us down to thirteen on the field. In fairness to our hosts they also lost a player and didn’t replace him leaving them at fourteen.

Whitstable scored again and their total escalated to 44. Lee Freeman then took a knock preventing him continuing and with five minutes left on the clock both sides agreed to save the local A&E the hassle of anymore trade from us.

The stones side went to the club house cursing themselves for getting in the game late, not bring the depth of squad we needed and hoping the guys injured were ok and ready to play again soon.

Williamson, CDB, Wilson, Stringer, Jackson, Petts (c), Paton, ward, Woolford A, Prichard, Woolford J, Tumber, Freeman, Petley A, Nunn, Brown J,

Simon Petts.