Villagers’ first win

A DETERMINED performance saw Puddletown achieve their first win of the season in Dorset & Wilts Two South as twice they came from behind to overcome high-flying Ellingham & Ringwood Seconds.

Right from the off the visitors’ pack looked the stronger going forward but it was the Hampshire outfit’s well-drilled backs who were first to show their class and after just 15 minutes two scores out wide had eased the home side into a 12-0 lead.

But Puddletown’s forwards were in the ascendancy and they patiently worked their way deep into home territory.

The breakthrough came when new signing Ed Sealey at scrum-half tapped a quick penalty for prop Jeremy Michael-Beale to run onto and power over.

Skipper Tom Yeatman added the extras and the pressure continued, only for the hosts to again break away and score in the corner. Unfazed, the Villagers stormed back onto the attack and once more good build-up play created the platform, this time for veteran centre Toby Musgrove to break the defensive line at speed and reduce the arrears to five points at the interval.

Five minutes into the second period and Jon Wilson was next to score when great hands between the rampaging Puddletown forwards found the replacement hooker staring at a big gap in the home defence.

A 10-metre dash to touch down under the posts, followed by Yeatman’s second successful conversion kick, put the visitors two points in front, but there was still more drama to come as the game entered its final quarter.

Penalties were traded with Yeatman missing the chance to put his side further ahead, before the home kicker gratefully accepted a similar opportunity at the other end to regain the lead.

The Villagers though weren’t finished and although Max Welch, sprinting clear down his wing, was denied a try with a tackle just short of the line, another penalty award minutes later, this time successfully dispatched by the captain, earned them a hard-fought victory.

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