Sutton Valence 2nd XI travelled down the M20 for a lunchtime push back against Folkestone Optimist 6th Xl hoping to continue their winning run which had included two 5-1 victories since the start of the new year.

After what turned out to be an inspired decision on the toss of the coin by captain Nick Hall, the teams swapped ends before the start of the game and Sutton Valence had the sun on their backs. Valence responded with an energetic first half which saw the team linking up well, exchanging short quick passes from the very first whistle and switching the play left and right to good effect. With Alex Hodges making penetrating runs down the right and Tom Willson driving forward in the centre with some dazzling dribbling skills, pressure started to build on the Folkestone defence. Valence won a number of short corners and created several chances from open play but the breakthrough came when Rob Cockayne added to his season's tally with a well-taken goal to make it 1-0.

It would be wrong to say that it was all one-way traffic in the first half. With a good mix of skilful seniors and quick confident younger players, Folkestone did have spells in possession and created some half-chances. One of these came soon after Valence’s first goal with a pass that bobbled across the D evading everyone but a Folkestone youngster who swung and connected with the ball sending it into the bottom corner of the goal, making it 1-1.

Valence responded well, continuing to play at pace and creating further chances. One of these, which started on the left just inside the Folkestone half and moved quickly through the midfield, found Alex Hodges on the right-hand side of the D and his pass back into the centre was met first time by Duncan Field, pushing the ball into the corner of the goal to make it 2-1. By this stage Valence were well on top and capitalised on this period of the game, with a brace from Tom Willson. Both goals topped off some good passing moves which were a joy to behold, the second goal ok coming as Willson ran on to a ball played behind the Folkestone defence, hit the post but reacted first to the rebound and slid the ball past the keeper again. At half-time Valence were 4-1 up.

Thanks to cloud cover Valence did not have to play with the sun in their eyes in the second half but as the temperature dropped, so did their energy levels. Folkestone upped their game and Valence spent more time in their own half, defending their D and chasing counter-attacks from the Folkestone youngsters. The Valence defence held firm, defending short corners well and limiting Folkestone to only a handful of chances which they could not convert.

The sun remained hidden behind the clouds but the temperature rose again when Valence keeper Ross MacKay took exception to the umpire’s decision to award a corner when the ball had come off a Folkestone stick. Up to that point, Sutton Valence had displayed the honesty over umpiring decisions which comes with a 4-1 lead and were taken aback by a wily member of the Folkestone XI who supported the umpire’s decision. Fortunately, enough of the other Folkestone players confirmed the Valence version of events for the umpire quickly to reverse his decision but a heated exchange between MacKay and the umpire followed. Thankfully no cards were shown and Adrian Gander was spared from duties as a kicking back!

Valence still had their moments but rarely matched the level of performance before half-time. Throughout the game most things had happened through Alex Hodges and appropriately, it was Hodges’ powerful shot from the edge of the D and through the Folkestone keeper’s legs, which gave Valence a 5th goal. Ever the poacher, it remains open for debate whether Rob Cockayne had tried and failed to get a touch on the ball on the way in or had cleverly dummied the keeper.

The final score was 5-1 in Valence’s favour, for the third game in a row. A good day out at the seaside for the 2s. The only thing missing was a fish and chip supper.

Team: Stewart Young; Nick Hall; Duncan Field; Alastair Robinson; Tom Willson; Adrian Gander; Alex Hodges; Ben Tragett; Rob Cockayne; Rob Harrison; Andy Barr.
Umpires: Provided by Folkestone.

Match report by Duncan Field.

Next week the 2nd Xl are at home at 09:45 to Sevenoaks 8th Xl.