DORCHESTER Under-11s fell just short in the Land Rover Trophy as they finished runners-up.

This was the county town side’s second Land Rover Trophy tournament of the season, in the first competition they didn’t get out of the pool stages.

The first game was against Cleve from Gloucestershire. Dorchester started well as Fergus Dipple ran in two tries with Jenson Stewart scoring the third try – a sign of things to come.

Dorchester conceded a single try in the game.

The Dorset side played hard in their second pool against a physical Corsham side, Tom Vicary and Stewart giving multiple demonstrations of excellent tackles.

The side’s support play was strong and the team rucked through with gusto to win by a single try to nil, scored by Vicary.

The third pool game against Melksham was a display of good open running rugby by Dorchester, with excellent passing under pressure.

The result was five tries to one, with two tries from Toby Hosking, another for both Dipple and Stewart.

Tom Swanton charged in to score in the corner to bring the game to a close.

The quarter-final saw Dorchester pitted against Wells.

The county town club started well, tackling hard, and then an early break by Hargreaves led directly to Stewart’s third try of the competition.

Good support tries were also scored by Toby Hoskins and Billy Friese-Green.

Dorchester beat Wells by three tries to one, to make their way into the semis where they faced Chippenham.

Jenson broke away early in the first half to score Dorchester’s only try into the wind.

In the second half, Chippenham fought back and scored their only try of the game.

The referee blew the whistle at the end of time, and Dorchester were through to the final – under the competition rule that in the event of a draw the first try determines the winner.

Dorchester won the toss in the final against Clifton.

In what proved to be a hard-fought game, Clifton went on to win by two tries to nil.

County town coach Dave Cheesman said the boys had improved so much over the season and are now a really strong squad.

Jenson Stewart was voted man of the competition by the coaches with an excellent display of running, passing under pressure and tackling.

Captain Doug Walters said after the final: “Tournaments like this are so much fun because it is a big challenge playing so many teams that we have never played before, but we really enjoy meeting new people who love rugby as much as we do.”

Dorchester: Walters, Dipple, Hargreaves, Swanton, Vicary, Stewart, Cheeseman, Friese-Greene, Staddon, Hosking, Hudson, Assirati, Harding, Woolam