by Steve Hughes

This wasn't an entertaining game to watch, being played in a bitterly cold wind driving straight down the pitch. It was a good win for the Academy however playing against a strong Beckenham side who gave the impression that they were going to be the winning side.
For once Dean Quinn was able to put out a reasonably strong side both in the backs and forwards whereas in the past it was either a strong pack and weak backs or vice versa. It was nice to see Lawrence Bill back in the country (and available for the rest of the season) and to find that he had lost none of his previous skills.  With a strong game from Nick Powell at scrum half he was able to dominate play but on occasions took too much upon himself to the detriment of the side as a whole.
The game was a 'stop-start' affair and never seemed to flow with penalties, knock ons and general infringements restricting continuity of supply.
The wind was so strong that replaying the hand held recorder I use to keep track of what's going on the majority of sound was the whistling of the wind and not my dulcet tones.  Therefore this report might not have all the facts in order and include a little waffle here and there but you should get the drift.....I know, I know - it is often said my reports are full of waffle and may possibly be inaccurate on the odd occasion but you get what you pay for O.K.
If my memory serves me right (and it has been known to slip these days) Lawrence Bill scored the first try with a feed from the scrum by Nick Powell. Bill sliced through the defence on the 22 metre line and scored under the posts and then added the conversion.
Jamie Woolford on the wing, scored the next after some good handling between backs and forwards  with Allan Askileiskiri, Josh Palmer and Powell involved. No conversion and Folkestone were 12 - 0 up at half time.
Allan Askileiskiri scored the next try himself having burst through onto a pass by Palmer to ward off a variety of defenders and put the ball down in the corner.  Again no conversion. John Eustace went off injured which required a reshuffle when Harry Paton came on into the second row.
The pack was quite solid and driving the visitors off the ball in the set pieces and the loose. Mart Korgesaar, Adam Bloomfield and Jon Cribbens provided the beef in the front row with Daz Short coming on after half time. Mark Rogers did well in the line out and the back row of 'Moose' Murray, Dave Ballard and Palmer scampered about the park to good effect all afternoon. Moose has his ten minute rest in the 'bin' for some minor infringement and Korgesaar followed him a little later.
This was not a day for wings in the biting cold and Luke Simpson and Woolford would have liked to have seen more of the ball but it was not to be.
The final nail in the visitors coffin was hammered home by The Moose himself and quite fitting as Captain of the Day in the absence of Dean Quinn. A good drive right from the Folkestone line took the ball down the Beckenham 22 area and a series of rucks and mauls ended up in front of the posts to see Murray pick up and dive over. No conversion.
This was a good performance and good have been quite entertaining with less wind and a ref who might have allowed the game to flow a little more.