WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 62 NORTH DORSET III 15

THERE was no hangover from their defeat by New Milton the previous Saturday for Weymouth & Portland as they dispatched North Dorset at Monmouth Avenue.

The tries flowed in a routine bonus-point triumph for home skipper Kevin Leatham and his charges, with Joe Gibson, Danny Haine, Ryan Lewendon and Chris Lewendon among the scorers.

Despite their impressive victory, Weymouth & Portland remain fourth in Dorset & Wilts Two South after the three sides above them also won comfortably at the weekend.

Team manager Vaughan Carter took charge of the seaside outfit with head coach Paul Harding unable to make the game.

And Carter would have been delighted with the hosts’ display, especially after that setback against New Milton seven days previously.

Bryn Llewellyn dictated the contest at fly-half, linking up to good effect with scrum-half Josh Cameron.

“We weren’t clinical enough the week before but we went about things well on Saturday,” said Leatham.

“We started strongly and scored a couple of early tries to settle us down, but North Dorset worked hard and came back at us.

“They got a try back when their big pack drove us over the line. We regrouped and Bryn controlled things well at outside-half.

“A few of the youngsters had good games and Jonathan Mason played really well in the lineout.”

He went on to add: “We had a long break after Christmas going into the New Milton game but there were no excuses for that result.

“We were disappointed with ourselves after that game but I was pleased with how we played on Saturday, and I was pleased with our discipline.

“We’ve been working on being a bit more aggressive at the breakdown and quicker over the ball, and we saw that against North Dorset.

“Bryn also did well and kicked at the right times, and I think we took our chances better compared to New Milton.”

Weymouth & Portland could leap back to second place this Saturday when they play their match in hand against Ellingham & Ringwood Seconds.

If they do pick up maximum points then Harding’s men would be seven behind leaders Yeovil, who thrashed Poole 99-0 at the weekend.

In Dorset & Wilts Four, Weymouth & Portland Seconds lost 34-29 at second-placed Salisbury Fourths but stay top of the table by nine points.