25th January 2012

DORSET RUGBY: Depleted Weymouth dig out win

by Keith Jenkin

OF THE eight clubs in my patch no less than seven had away games on Saturday last.

The exception was Dorchester so I took myself off there to watch them play bottom of the table Blandford.

DORCHESTER 86 BLANDFORD 3

There was a stiff wind blowing down the ground at Dorchester, and the visitors chose to have it at their backs initially.

The home side enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the first few minutes. They took the lead when, having run a speculative kick back, they recycled on halfway, centre Lee Harvey dummied and broke.

The offload came to James Baker on the twenty five. He still had work to do, but did it and scored close to the posts. Bament's kick was successful and Dorchester were seven points to the good.

Having scored the first, Baker then set up the second a few minutes later. He latched on to a loose ball inside his own half and made good ground before being checked on the Blandford twenty five. Read was up in support however. He took the off load and scored some 15 yards in from touch.

Bament's kick defied the elements to bisect the posts and Dorchester were 14-0 ahead after a quarter of an hour.

Blandford had their first chance some five minutes later after Dorchester were, I thought, fortunate not to see yellow after a high tackle. They duly converted the resultant penalty from halfway but their relief was only momentary for they miss-fielded the restart. The turnover came, the ball was spread wide to winger Baker. He was checked just short but recycled and Bament was able to force his way over on the narrow side.

This try was unconverted, as was the next, touched down by lock Broadbent who took advantage of some recycled possession and rode a couple of tackles before crashing over.

Dorchester were in complete control now, being bigger, stronger, faster and more skilful than their opponents, and another try came in short order.

They recycled possession on halfway and hooker, Minors, took advantage of some weak tackling to get over by the posts. Bament converted to take the score to 31-3.

Things were getting far too easy for the home side now. A Blandford kick did not find touch. Read ran the ball back, passed to Croft and he ran to the posts unopposed. Balment's kick was again successful and his side scored twice more before the break.

The first went to Croft who profited from an adroit chip by his scrum half, and the second went to centre lee Harvey who slipped his tackler and scored by the posts. Balment converted that one to bring up the half century for Dorchester before the halfway stage.

The second half started where the first had left off, with a Dorchester try coming after just a couple of minutes. Idris Croft received set piece possession wide on the right and did an "in and out" on his marker before touching down in the corner.

A second came within 10 minutes of the restart when, from a lineout close in, they peeled and number seven Newsam got over. Bament converted, taking the score to 62-3.

Dorchester then "went off the boil" quite understandably. There was a bit of "handbagging" and a further interruption came when a visiting player had to be stretchered off with a leg injury that looked serious.

More tries came in the last 10 minutes however. They broke from a lineout on their opponents' 10-yard line and number eight, Mitchell, had the strength to get over.

They then thrust to their opponents'line, won a penalty, took the quick tap and Croft scored by the posts. Bament converted, taking the score to 74-3. He then charged a kick down on halfway and ran to the posts from 50 yards. He converted also but even at 81-3 it was not the end.

Blandford were a pretty static bunch by now and, from the restart, Dorchester went the full length of the field to complete the scoring.

The final whistle went soon after to release Blandford, who had never given up, from their agonies.

SWANAGE & WAREHAM 4th 24 DORCHESTER 3rd 12

The Dorchester third side travelled "more in hope than in expectation" as the poem has it and then, as is their wont, conceded early points to be 17 points adrift by the end of the first quarter.

From then on, things improved markedly. The visitors began to play their way back into the encounter and the remainder of the half was scoreless.

The home side increased their lead early in the second period with a push-over try that they converted, but subsequently Dorchester got on top and scored tries through Smith and Skidmore, one of which was converted as they finished the game strongly.

SHERBORNE 2nd 17 WEYMOUTH 19

This was a win dug out of considerable adversity by Weymouth.

Their injury list has now reached such proportions that only some half a dozen of their first selections took the field, and more injuries came their way during this Dorset & Wilts Division One encounter.

At first all went well. They took the lead before the game was 10 minutes old with a try by out half Nick Sheppard that he converted himself.

The home side came straight back however and took advantage of an injury that left Weymouth a man short in their back row.

A converted try was the result after they had broke from a scrum close to the Weymouth line in the absence of flanker Morris.

The visitors were going well at this stage however and regained the lead after they had turned over possession and Sheppard had dummied his way through the defence. He was checked but popped the ball to Gibson who made the line.

The try remained unconverted but Weymouth scored again before the halfway stage. They set the position with a lineout peel before spreading the ball wide to Wilson who cut a good angle and made the line. Sheppard converted this one to take the score to 7-19 at the halfway stage.

The second-half was something of a nightmare for the Weymouth camp. Having lost one prop early in the game, they now lost another and conceded an early unconverted try to boot.

Winger Murphy then had to see at first hand life at the rock face and, credit to him, he coped. His side still had to play the final 15 minutes with uncontested scrums however, and home pressure mounted and mounted. Stout defence, the willingness to tackle, get up and tackle again stood them in good stead however.

Sherborne did score a second unconverted try to take themselves into penalty goal range but Weymouth kept knocking their runners over during the final quarter without conceding kickable penalties.

WARMINSTER 29 BRIDPORT 0

It was a much changed Bridport side that travelled to Warminster, a side who are on something of a roll currently.

At first, all went well and the first 35 minutes of the game remained scoreless, with the visitors competing very effectively.

A yellow card, awarded against them for a dangerous tackle proved to be their undoing for, while they were down to 14 men, the home side scored two tries. They converted one of them and consequently led 12-0 at the break.

A further touchdown, converted this time, took Warminster clear just after the break and, although Bridport continued to give as good as they got, particularly in the area of the breakdown, the home side stretched away with two unconverted tries in the final quarter to seal a bonus point win.

PREVIEW

DORCHESTER travel to promotion challengers SHERBORNE on Saturday next and will of course, face a hard game there.

I remember watching the earlier game at Dorchester and felt that, although the visitors' eight did enough in the final quarter to edge their side to the 13-9 win Sherborne were, as a side, not really convincing.

I do have the feeling that, if the Dorchester pack can achieve parity of possession for the full 80 minutes, their side can win this one.

It will not be easy, for Sherborne need every point they can get if they are to achieve promotion by right and without having to play off.

WEYMOUTH have what is, on paper anyway, a far easier task in prospect when they entertain ELLINGHAM & RINGWOOD 2nd.

Their opponents lie near the bottom of the Dorset & Wilts League Division One (South) and were beaten by the best part of 40 points in the earlier fixture.

The home side will be disappointed if they do not achieve a bonus point win by four thirty pm on Saturday, although in view of their current injury list, I guess that a win of any sort would be accepted.

BRIDPORT can certainly expect an easier game than the one they encountered last time out. They are at home to SALISBURY 2nd, a side who lie at the bottom of the division and have not inconvenienced many thus far this season.

The home back division is beginning to knit well and I think that they will, if they play to their capabilities, make hay against this opposition.

PUDDLETOWN travel to take on WEYMOUTH 2nd, a side who narrowly bested them at Puddletown earlier.

I do think that Puddletown have improved as a unit very considerably since then and that they will reverse that score line.

Weymouth who, having been promoted at last season's end, have certainly coped well this season. They have developed one or two disciplinary issues in recent days however that do not help their cause at all and they may struggle to cope with Puddletown's back division.

As to the second sides, Dorchester seconds, looking for a promotion place as they are, should do their prospects no harm at all. They visit Verwood, a side near the bottom of their division. Bridport seconds too should come back from their Blandford counterparts with a win.

In division four Dorchester thirds have a difficult job on hand against Bournemouth 4th, home advantage notwithstanding, while Weymouth thirds should really prosper at bottom club New Milton thirds.

Fixtures - 28th January

Bridport v Salisbury 2nd; Bridport 2nd v Blandford 2nd (away); Chard v Bristol Harlequins; Dorchester v Sherborne (away); Dorchester 2nd v Verwood (away); Dorchester 3rd v Bournemouth 4th; Honiton v Hayle; Puddletown v Weymouth 2nd (away); Sidmouth v Clevedon; Weymouth v Ellingham & Ringwood 2nd; Weymouth 2nd v Puddletown; Weymouth 3rd v New Milton 3rd (away).

DORSET RUGBY: Depleted Weymouth dig out win

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