DEVIZES 13
DORCHESTER paid the price for not taking their chances and crashed out of the Dorset & Wilts Senior Vase at fellow Southern Counties South outfit Devizes.
In a fairly uneventful first period, the county town side appeared to have the upper hand and looked the more likely of the two sides to break the deadlock.
And so it proved after almost 30 minutes with the visitors working the overlap, resulting in centre Lee Harvey crossing in the right-hand corner. Rich Bament added the extras with a superb conversion from the touchline.
The second period followed in much the same way with Dorchester looking to extend their lead with only dogged defending from the hosts keeping them at bay.
Indeed it appeared that the visitors were in control as Devizes were unable to threaten a score of any kind.
But a moment’s lack of concentration enabled the home side’s second row to slip through a gap and score near the posts. With the conversion a formality, the game went into extra-time.
In contrast to normal time, Devizes now looked the more dangerous side.
And a penalty with the last kick of the first half, together with a well struck drop goal midway through the second, put the home side into a decisive six-point lead.
Although Dorchester huffed and puffed, they were unable to find the inspiration to score the converted try that was required.
Dorchester: Cottell, Pengelly, Prior, Hodges, Broadbent, Gower J (Miller 70), Newsam, Mitchell, D Gower, Hunt, Bament, Clifford, Harvey, Spensley (Pryce 50), Read.
Man of the Match: Joe Gower
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