OAKMEADIANS 20 DORCHESTER 19

DORCHESTER’S three-game unbeaten run was ended after they were edged out by Oakmeadians.

The visitors started strongly and the backs seemed to cut through the home line with ease in the first 10 minutes.

The county town side struck early with a first-phase move from the back of the scrum which looked liked it came straight off the training park, the try was converted to make it 7-0 to the visitors.

Following a good passage of play, Dorchester made some basic errors gifting the home team tries, including yet another intercept try and Oaks' full-back running through half the Dorchester side for an easy score.

With 10 minutes left, Dorchester squandered a penalty in front of the home side’s posts and came away with nothing.

The only positive was that Dorchester dominated the opposition at scrums and break downs but rallied too late to come back within one point.

In reality this was a bonus point win badly missed and a disappointing end to a three-game unbeaten run in Dorset & Wilts One South.

DORCHESTER II 14

NEW MILTON II 51

DORCHESTER knew they were facing a tough test against a team from the top of Dorset & Wilts Two South and so it proved.

From the first kick-off, the hosts’ pressure was turned over in their own half and good handling put the visitors in under the posts for an easy converted try.

It didn’t take long for Dorchester to strike back though when an excellent break from centre Jamie Morgan on halfway was held up on the New Milton line, but the support arrived quickly and winger Etienne Peach scored, allowing Rob Parker to level the scores.

New Milton soon regained the lead when their scrum-half darted through a gap on the fringe of a ruck for another easy conversion.

The visitors’ back line exhibited good hands and pace and a sweeping move put their centre over in the corner to make it 19-7.

Dorchester again came back at them though and from a five-metre scrum, Morgan went under the posts for the conversion to bring it back to 19-14 at half-time.

Injuries took their toll on Dorchester as they lost skipper Rob Parker and prop Chris Elliott at the interval, and New Milton promptly got into their stride after the restart with a sweeping back move, which again yielded a try.

This was swiftly followed by a break down the short side of a line-out which was scored in the same corner, neither being converted.

The pace and strength of the New Milton attacks eventually told on the home defence, especially with them taking tap penalties and looking to run the ball from everywhere on the pitch.

Thus they were able to run in four more tries before the final whistle none of which were converted.