Whitstable Didn't Fancy It so........

Folkestone 3rd XV v’s Whitstable 3rd XV ( or so we thought)

FRFC ( Whites ) 36 v FRFC ( Greens ) 31

With the 4’s losing their fixture on Thursday the 3rd XV had numbers to spare for this friendly fixture against our Oyster gathering friends from the north of the county, with it being a friendly I’d advised everyone that asked for a run out to just bring their kit up and we will see how it goes. I’m very glad I did.

The squad had dressed, warmed up, and at 14:20, ten minutes before kick off the questions were starting to be asked ‘Where are they’ ?

As a grinning Joe Wilson approached the third pitch clutching a pint of the black stuff making a cutting motion to his neck we feared the worse!

So the game was called off but in true Stones spirit it was too late to go home without engaging in some contact sport. Del MCDonough and Tash stepped it out as skippers and a game of 10’s was underway.

The game started at a slightly edgy pace, all players in a training session mode, it didn’t stay that way. The score finished 36-31 and the game was that tight all the way through.

Newcomer Steve Weller didn’t have too much to do in the uncontested scrums but played very well in the loose. Tim Page ( new Tim ) who is returning to the game and was only turning up to take part in the warm up ! had a baptism of fire and looked as though he enjoyed every minute.

The two Colts Ashley Gilligan & Dave Duce making their debut on the senior circuit were un-separable to look at from their campaign hardened team mates, they both played well and will be keenly watched this season.

A few others to note were Tom Nunn who was hitting the tackles with some technical excellence as well as playing out of position. It’s a huge shame we lose Dafydd Thomas for so much of the time, his ability to break through defences has been in evidence these past few weeks.

It was probably lucky for Whitstable that they didn’t honour this fixture, Personally I believe Folkestone had more than enough quality on the park to send them home very sore and lots of points to the worse, but I’m not bitter.