DORCHESTER 3 SWANAGE & WAREHAM 46

DORCHESTER ended the season with another brave but ultimately fruitless performance, as Southern Counties South champions Swanage & Wareham celebrated a superb campaign by reaching a century of points in the league.

The Swans will now return to South West One East next term after a two-year hiatus in the Southern Counties set-up.

They got off to a brilliant start at Coburg Road on Saturday, with winger Charlie Rowberry scoring under the posts to get the ball rolling. Fly-half Charlie Parish added the extras.

More pressure came from the visitors but the heavier Dorchester pack showed resistance, and it was not until the 28th minute that Rowberry crossed again.

Seven minutes later, Alex Toms converted a penalty for the hosts to make it 12-3 at half-time.

Parish then cut through the home defence in the first minute of the second half, giving Rowberry the chance to complete his hat-trick.

But Dorchester refused to buckle, even though the Swans had too much for the hosts’ patched-up side, the home team’s cause wasn’t helped by a couple of injuries to forwards.

The Swans capitalised on this and 51 minutes in number-eight Joe Desmond powered over to secure the bonus point.

Five minutes later, a move along the three-quarters had Swans’ other winger, Alex Parry, running round to score under the posts. Parish added the conversion to make it 29-3.

Almost from the restart the ball was worked to Rowberry who set off down the wing from 60 metres out. He outpaced the cover defence and registered his fourth try of the game.

Towards the end of the contest Dorchester received two yellow cards so the Swans were playing against 13 men.

Replacement flanker Ben Dennett then went clear to score and, two minutes from time, the Swans combined for Rowberry to go in for his fifth try.

That took Rowberry’s tally for the season to 46, a total which the Swans believe is a club record.

Meanwhile, Swanage & Wareham Seconds thrashed Dorchester Seconds 80-0, while the Swans’ third XV beat Dorset Dockers Seconds 36-35.

Dorchester: Cottell, Chalker, Hodgson, Makepeace, L King, Grassby, Newsam, Prior, Gower, Toms, Simpson, Paton, Evans, Allan, Clark. Reps: Ritchie, Harries, S King.

Swans: Stephens, Parry, D Elford, Graves, Rowberry, Parish, Tomes, Sheldrake, Elford, Wyburgh, Corsie, Wright, Desmond. Reps: Audley, Dennett, Scott.