Crowborough have played Jeckell and Hyde rugby all season, with 8 bonus try points testimony to their ability to attack, but bizarrely earning 5 losing bonus points that could so easily have been winning positions. Had those losing positions been reversed then Crowborough would potentially have been challenging for a top three position, rather than finding themselves, as they were yesterday, fighting for survival against fellow strugglers Folkestone, in what was in effect to be a ten point game.
Head Coach, Dan Moore and his team, were able for the first time, to select a preferred 18, with the intent of reversing the appalling drubbing that ‘Boro received earlier in the season at the hands of their visitors.
With so much riding on the outcome it was not too surprising that after 20 minutes the score remained at 0-0, as both sides tested each other, neither wanting to make the fatal mistake.
As the end of the first quarter approached ‘Boro’s tight forward game, that had committed the Stones back row, suddenly opened up as Sam Kisbee slung out a long lateral pass to Gary Stevens, who committed his opposite number before cutting out Callum Main with a pass to Bertie Boast, lurking on the wing. With thirty metres to go Bertie Boast pulled wide, and as the cover came across put an inside pass to the fast arriving Ali Main who crashed over in the corner for a Chris Yates converted try 7-0.
With the nervousness banished, Crowborough were immediately on the attack from the kick off, and in the blink of an eye Folkestone were once more lining up behind their posts as Chris Yates, having orchestrated the score with a sublime show and go, attempted the conversion of Bertie Boast’s try, but this one rattled the upright and stayed out.12-0
In a similar move moments later, Sam Kisbee freed Ali Main to burst through, but he was brought down short of the line. Folkestone amassed their defence well, and it required several pick and drive attempts before Richard Tasker finally pealed from the back of the maul to score an unconverted try. 17-0
With Crowborough in the accendancy and in confident mood, it only took a moments lapse of concentration when, against the run of play, a sliced clearance from Chris Yates was charged down by Folkestone’s Callum Palmieri and collected by captain John Eustace who simply walked in under the posts for a converted score. This brought ‘Boro back to earth with a jolt, and with just minutes of the half remaining, only 10 points now separated the sides.
Sensible decision making gave two more Chris Yates penalties attempts, which were both successful kicked and this gave the home side a 16 point half time margin at 23-7.
Needing all the scores that they could get to maintain the gap between the chasing sides below them, ‘Boro secured their bonus point fourth try within moments of the restart, when Gary Stevens finished off a well worked break by Ali Main. The kick out wide was pulled. 28-7
Crowborough now had the luxury of calling on Damien Hayes and Will Creasy from the bench, and with fresh legs immediately set about destroying the resolute Folkestone defence. With the ‘Boro back row of Alex Purnell , Callum Main and Matt Eyres hitting the loose as a trio and at pace, Crowborough were controlling possession from a visibly frustrated Folkestone pack.
Two more scores from captain Alex Purnell, and a Chris Yates converted try by Gary Stevens killed off any lingering resistance bringing the game to an end 40-7.
By courtesy of Hastings’s defeat of Lewes, Boro slot into sixth place in the League with two games to play, and with this team selection and developing attitude, together with Bromley’s defeat of Thanet, eight more points are not out of the question. There is still much for the travelling faithful to shout about.