WALCOT 10 DORCHESTER 10

DORCHESTER finally ended their run of eight successive league defeats as they shared the spoils with Walcot in a closely-fought encounter in Bath.

Playing down the slope in the first period, the hosts were the first to apply some pressure but, aided by a dominant scrum, Dorchester defended comfortably.

Walcot’s only score came from a penalty awarded for a high tackle in midfield.

Dorchester were defending well but their attack was struggling as, time after time, they would work their way into a good position only to throw it away through a lack of precision.

A wayward kick out of defence by the visitors gifted the hosts the first try, the Walcot full-back finishing off a huge overlap.

Straight from the restart, Walcot conceded a penalty which Jamie Morgan, having badly mishit an earlier attempt, made no mistake in converting to get the visitors on the board.

With the slope in their favour in the second half, Dorchester had much the better of the play but were unable to complete a first win since September.

Their equalising score came from Mark Sergison following yet another scrum against the head. Morgan added the extras to make it 10-10.

Dorchester lost Adam Make-peace to the sin bin in the final quarter but their line was never seriously threatened, and their discipline was such that they did not concede a single penalty in kickable range.

Restored to the full 15, the visitors went looking for the winning score, but as they drove the Walcot scrum back towards their own line the referee inexplicably ruled that it had turned 90 degrees and Dorchester had to settle for the draw.

Martyn Peel’s men remain 10th in the Southern Counties South table, now level on points with Frome, who were thrashed at Wimborne.

Dorchester are on the road again this Saturday when they go to Corsham for a rearranged fixture.

Dorchester: Hodgson, Chalker, Cottell, Mitchell, Jones, Miners, Newsam, Sergison; Gower, Bament, Lynch, Harding, King, Morgan, Clark. Reps used: Makepeace, Deakin, Paton.