SWANAGE & WAREHAM 59 DORCHESTER 9

DORCHESTER endured a nightmare start to the new Southern Counties South campaign as the 10-try Swans ran riot at the John Proctor Memorial Ground.

Charlie Parish landed a penalty for the hosts in the first minute, but James Baker levelled the scores soon after with one of his own.

However, a brilliant move along the Swans’ three-quarters had winger Karl Barton going in for the home side’s first try.

But playing sensible rugby in the right areas of the pitch saw the visitors force the hosts into conceding a string of penalties.

Baker kicked two attempts at goal and with 20 minutes gone Dorchester were 9-8 in front.

Their lead was short-lived and a break by Parish resulted in Charlie Rowberry crossing out wide.

On the half hour, a break by flanker Jesse Scott set up Rowberry again and he touched down for his second score.

Scott was then on hand to score the Swans’ bonus-point try and just before the break a hack on enabled scrum-half Chris Tomes to dot down.

Despite trailing 32-9, Dorchester continued to compete up front in the second half and they had some joy at scrum time.

But the hosts took advantage as they began to tire and Parish was there to add another try.

And from a lineout on 52 minutes the ball was passed along the Swans’ backs to Rowberry to go in for his hat-trick.

Visiting full-back Dave Clark was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on before a fine catch and drive saw Swans’ captain Robert Elford touching down to make it 49-9.

Three minutes from time Tomes was on hand to go over in the corner and just before the final whistle second row Darren Penney produced a swallow dive in claiming the Swans’ 10th try of the afternoon.

Swans’ team manager Tom Dillon said: “Once they had got over the slow start they played well, especially the backs, with some tricky handling and brilliant moves.

“But they can only do that if the forwards win the ball at the breakdown.”

Swans: Baird, Barton, Strange, Graves (Cottrell 40), Rowberry, Parish, Tomes, Sheldrake, Elford, Wyburgh (Audley 48), Collins, Penney, Scott (Wright 40), Ayres, Desmond.

Dorchester: Hodgson, Chalker, Cottell, Makepeace, Mitchell, Jones, Newsam, Sergison, Allan, Toms, Baker, Harvey, Harding, Waddington, Clark. Replacements used: Warren, E Grassby, Moss.