SHERBORNE 13

DORCHESTER 6

DORCHESTER were out fought by a determined young Sherborne side in Dorset & Wilts One South.

The hosts started well retaining the ball through multiple phases and keeping Dorchester on the back foot.

The county town side, in contrast, failed to control the ball and were guilty of kicking the ball away far too often.

Sherborne took the lead with a simple penalty and then extended that advantage when they broke down the right wing.

An excellent tackle from Etienne Peach appeared to save the day but the Sherborne winger managed to reach out and touchdown for the first try.

Dorchester fought their way back into the game despite being well below their best and two James Baker penalties closed the gap to just two points at the break.

The second half was a real battle of attrition. Sherborne continued to have the better of things but Dorchester had only themselves to blame as they missed touch with penalties on no less than five occasions.

This inability to put any serious pressure on the hosts eventually cost the visitors dear.

The Dorchester defence allowed the ball to bounce once too often in their own 22, Sherborne regathered and two passes later, the hosts’ open-side flanker scored under the posts.

The conversion was missed but Dorchester were unable to make any real headway in the final few minutes and had to be content with a losing bonus point.

Coaches Ben Parker and Rich Bament said: “It was disappointing, we failed to gel as a team and it cost us what should have been five points.

“As a team we seemed off the ball and not our usual selves. A number of changes to the starting line-up and a late pull out for injury had an impact, but as a squad we should deal with issues like that.

“As we’ve said before all teams have blips, but it’s the measure of a good squad in how you deal with those blips.

“Next week we need to get five points and get back to how we were before the Yeovil game in February. Now it’s about finishing fourth or better and starting to build for next season.”

Dorchester: Antell, T Evans, Cottell, Makepeace, L King, Hallett, Newsam, Robson, Bosher, Foot, Deakin, Baker, C King, Peach, Fry. Doherty, Burch, Ansell