PEWSEY VALE 21 WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 18

WEYMOUTH & Portland missed out on lifting the Dorset & Wilts first XV Plate as James Campbell’s late penalty won it for Pewsey Vale at Warminster RFC.

In a bruising encounter, which saw Lewis Glynn and Ryan Lewendon suffer a broken arm and hand respectively, the sides couldn’t be separated until Campbell struck in the closing stages.

Centre Campbell had opened the scoring inside the first five minutes, although Bryn Llewellyn soon cancelled out the former’s three-pointer to level things up.

Vale scrum-half Nick Damper then combined with fly-half James Haynes for the latter to cross the whitewash. Campbell converted.

But Paul Harding’s Weymouth & Portland side responded in kind when the ball was moved between backs and forwards and Lewendon went over.

Llewellyn added the extras to make it 10-10 and leave everything to play for.

Harding’s men then went in front for the first time in the final when Joe Gibson dotted down in the corner.

Vale’s forwards started the game well on top, so much so that Harding swapped both his props midway through the half, and another big push from a scrum resulted in prop Phil Hobbs scoring.

Campbell, like Llewellyn minutes before, couldn’t convert his side’s try so it was finely poised at 15-15 going into the second period.

It was tense after the interval and Campbell and Llewellyn traded penalties to keep the teams locked together at 18-18.

But after a long delay due to Glynn’s injury, Campbell eventually settled the affair when he landed his third penalty at the second attempt.

Weymouth & Portland did everything they could to win it or at least find an equalising score, but it wasn’t to be despite a brave last-ditch bid.

“It was disappointing for the guys to lose but they certainly gave everything and were really unlucky not to pinch it,” said head coach Harding.

“The back row was outstanding again and our back line looked really dangerous when they had the ball.

“Pewsey Vale were very strong and we struggled to secure any decent set-piece ball.

“We found it hard in the scrums, especially in the first 20-25 minutes, and I had to make changes in the front row.

“We were two very evenly-matched sides but with two different styles of play.

“It was quite a heavy pitch as well and that made it difficult for our quicker and more skilful backs.”

He added: “We had some nasty injuries and I’d like to thank Pewsey Vale for the way they responded to Lewis’ broken arm, they looked after him really well.”