On another mainly dry day but with a variable wind down and across the ground, the start that Cranbrook made eclipsed that of the previous week as four tries in the opening 17 minutes set the home team on their way to a convincing victory. Folkstone, having endured a difficult start to the season, to their great credit gave a good account of themselves thereafter, managing to disrupt some of Cranbrook's fluency.
Receiving the Folkstone kick off, Cranbrook swiftly moved the ball left, Goodger making a half break giving a scoring pass to Lafferty who scored near the corner with some ease. Folkstone responded by looking to move the ball wide and gained enough ground to have a penalty kick attempt from reasonable range but it drifted wide. Cranbrook regained field position from the first of a number of long clearances by Fabian Rimmer, scoring going right as Lafferty came across to make the extra man putting full back Toomer in to score near the corner.
Folkstone put the kick off straight into touch, from the resulting scrum the ball was moved to Toomer who broke a tackle, passing to the supporting Captain Curtis who was able to score nearer to the posts for Rimmer to convert. Soon another long Rimmer clearance set up another attack that broke down with a knock on. Cranbrook however won the scrum against the head and Toomer was able to pick up a bobbling ball to streak away for another score, making it 22-0 after17 minutes.
Folkstone now had some pressure and a promising situation was spoiled by a knock on. Soon after their winger got clear, but Toomer used his speed to catch him up and make a try saving tackle. Although the lineout battle was fairly even, Cranbrook were beginning to dominate the set scrummaging meaning Folkstone were retaining their ball on the retreat, so their backs could not penetrate the home defence, whereas Cranbrook continued to look threatening. Rimmer managed to put Toomer away again with a longish pass, his speed meant he was untouched on his way to the posts, Rimmer converting. In the last play of the half Folkstone finally scored when a kick to touch near the corner produced a winning lineout and a well controlled rolling maul to cross the line for a half time score of 29-5.
The second half also started badly for Folkstone as Curtis collected the ball in midfield and in trademark style broke through several would be tacklers to score near the posts, Rimmer converting. Soon however Curtis incurred the displeasure of the referee as Cranbrook went offside under their posts and was yellow carded. The large Folkstone prop scored a converted try from close range from a phase following the penalty.
The player numbers were shortly to become matched as a promising Cranbrook move left was interrupted by a deliberate knock on by a Folkstone player from what looked like a scoring pass. Play was too far out to consider a penalty try. Other Cranbrook moves were just thwarted by valiant tackling or slight passing inaccuracy as the game progressed, and Folkstone scrums wheeled as prop James Yeomans dominated his opposition prop. It must be noted though that three times during the game Cranbrook got marched back 10 metres through out of place comments, then not releasing the ball when penalised for crossing. In a tight game these kind of avoidable mistakes could prove very costly and must be eradicated.
After using all 3 subs, Cranbrook scored 3 more tries, two from close range through Magsico and Curtis, finally another nice move left put in Lafferty again for a final score of 51-12.
Folkstone looked a good enough side to move up the table if they can win some upcoming games against teams around them, whilst Cranbrook look in good fettle for a key match at Heathfield next week albeit with a couple of areas to work on as always.
Match report courtesy of Philip Rimmer.