MIDSOMER NORTON 44 DORCHESTER 5

DORCHESTER’S dire run of form continued on Saturday with Martyn Peel’s men slipping to a seventh loss in their last eight outings.

Already decimated by injuries and unavailability, the visitors suffered more problems during the first half of the match, losing Tom Bamlet and Rich Bament to a dislocated elbow and concussion respectively.

And it was no surprise that with several players in unfamiliar positions Dorchester started slowly, allowing the hosts to score a converted try with virtually their first attack.

The county town side knuckled down and earned themselves a lineout close to their opponents’ line.

The ball was won and Bament powered his way over the line for Dorchester’s only score of the day.

Two penalties for the home side stretched their lead as conditions, which were already difficult, deteriorated further as snow and hail mixed with a biting crosswind.

Norton scored a second converted try but Dorchester still felt they were in the game, and in a prolonged attack on the hosts’ line they forced the Bath outfit to concede a string of penalties – the yellow card stayed in the young referee’s pocket.

Norton’s defence held firm and the attack ended with Bamlet and Bament leaving the pitch.

An early score in the second period for Norton made the game safe and it looked like Dorchester were in for a long second half.

But the spirit in the team is very good and they defended manfully for long periods, despite having two players in the sin bin.

The pressure inevitably told and Norton added three more tries in the final quarter.

Peel’s men stay ninth in Dorset & Wilts Two South, eight points behind Norton but 10 ahead of Bradford-on-Avon.

Dorchester host North Dorset, who are on a three-match winning run, this Saturday, more than three months after last tasting success on a rugby field.

They were given a walkover against Corsham at the end of January but it was against Supermarine on November 22 that they previously won an actual game.

Elsewhere, Dorchester Seconds were beaten 64-24 at Coburg Road by East Dorset, the runaway leaders of Dorset & Wilts Two South.

That result denied Dorchester’s hopes of a third successive victory.

Dorchester: Cottell, Chalker, Hodgson, Makepeace, Bamlet, D Gower, E Grassby, Prior, Allan, Bament, T Gower, Evans, S Jones, Morgan, Clark. Reps: Harries, Pengelly