WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 22
NORTH DORSET II 20

WEYMOUTH & Portland earned their second Dorset & Wilts One South win of the season with a 22-20 victory over North Dorset Seconds at Monmouth Avenue. 

North Dorset survived an early onslaught from the hosts to open the scoring with a well-taken penalty after 13 minutes. 

Weymouth were spurred on though and worked the ball right, finding the welcoming hands of speedster Norton Rogers who beat several defenders to score a deserved try on 20 minutes, which Alex Toms converted.

With confidence flowing, the hosts started to dominate the North Dorset pack and used their well-earned possession to their advantage.

Spinning the ball wide, they found Rogers in space and he outpaced his opposite number to score his second try, which lacked the conversion.

But North Dorset’s responded by feeding the ball to their left wing who beat the covering defence to touch down near the posts for a 12-10 scoreline.

Five minutes later, the Seahorses scored the best try of the day, capitalising on several storming runs to create space on the left for skipper Dan Bowditch to finish off a great move. Toms converted for 19-10 at half-time.

Toms began the second half brightly by slotting a penalty on the North Dorset 22 but the visitors were not ready to give up and started to counter attack at every opportunity.

The game then entered a phase of the Seahorses giving away several penalties and 10 minutes into the second half, Andy Bowditch, who had an excellent game at flanker, received a yellow card from the referee. 

From the ensuing penalty, North Dorset added three points to make it 22-13 with 30 minutes left.

Despite losing another player to the sin-bin, North Dorset were unable to break down the hosts’ resolute defence and the score remained unchanged. 

Ironically, after the Seahorses had 15 men the visitors managed to break through and score a converted try for 22-20.

But the Seahorses did not panic and retained possession until the final whistle to earn a well-deserved victory.

Speaking after the game, forwards’ coach Simon Litster said: “It was the first time I’ve seen the team gel. 

“I think the scoreline flattered North Dorset a little bit because they scored in the dying seconds of injury-time, but having said that they fought hard.”

Weymouth & Portland: Hamilton, Sankey, Hurrell, Leatham, Billington, Bowditch, Westwood, Bowditch, Nixon, Toms, Harris, Richards, Allan, Rogers, Farley. Reps: Norton, Guest, Young

Man of the match: Kevin Leatham

CONTACT US:
t: 01305 830990
e: sport
@dorsetecho.co.uk
twitter: @Dorsetechosport