Misery for Dorchester at Meyrick (From Dorset Echo)

Misery for Dorchester at Meyrick

4:20pm Monday 18th February 2013 in Sport By Echo Reporter

OAKMEADIANS 32 DORCHESTER 31

DORCHESTER’S run of poor form continued when they were on the wrong end of a 10-try thriller at Meyrick Park.

After conceding their obligatory first minute try, the county town side began to get the upper hand up front and a first try for John Bowden got the visitors on the board.

The home backs always looked dangerous and, following a break into the Dorchester 22, the Oaks extended their lead to five points with a simple penalty.

The visitors finally took the lead with the last play of the half, Dave Gower diving over from close range with James Baker converting.

The second period started with Dor-chester again on the front foot and looking to stretch their lead.

Unfortunately Baker missed two very simple penalty attempts and these mistakes were compounded when the home fly-half intercepted on the halfway line and sprinted into the right corner to put the Oaks back in front.

This setback proved to be a wake-up call to Dorchester and two converted tries in four minutes appeared to have swung the game decisively in their favour.

Baker forced his way over following sustained pressure on the Oaks’ line and then Shane Costigan finished off a move that started deep in Dorchester’s own half.

The hosts crossed again to close the gap to six points, but when Jamie Morgan ran on to Costigan’s perfectly-placed box kick and scored in the corner with only minutes left, the result should have been sealed.

The hosts had other ideas, Dor-chester made a hash of dealing with the kick-off and allowed Oaks to score again in the right-hand corner.

With the successful conversion, the Oaks were only four points behind.

Dorchester kicked-off deep into Oaks’ territory but several sloppy tackles allowed the home side to run the ball right back into the same corner and, after a penalty award and a yellow card, they drove over for the winning try.

Dorchester: Bonner, Chalker, Miners (Cottell 70), Skidmore, C Mitchell, D Gower, Newsam, Dixon (Sergison 50), Costigan, Weller, Bowden (Clark 60), Newton, Baker, Morgan, Read.

Highwood Man of the Match: Alex Skidmore