8:47am Tuesday 23rd February 2010
By Andy Haworth
DEVIZES 20 Dorchester 20
DORCHESTER should have wrapped up victory in the first 15 minutes but in the end they can consider themselves lucky to have escaped with a draw.
Playing up the slope in the first half, the visitors dominated the opening exchanges but trashed several try-scoring opportunities through a lack of composure – the only return from this period being an Adam Jones penalty.
Having survived the opening quarter, Devizes began to grow in confidence with their young backs looking pacy and dangerous.
But after 25 minutes, Dorchester finally scored the opening try.
Full-back Matt Read beat five opposing defenders in a 60-metre run to the posts before Jones added the conversion.
The hosts responded immediately and their forwards forced their way over the line from close range. The conversion and a penalty by Devizes’ excellent fly-half levelled the scores at the interval.
County town head coach Mike Sprules laid into his team during the break and this appeared to do the trick when a period of pressure led to a simple penalty chance for Jones, which he duly converted.
The home side, however, fought back and soon had a penalty chance of their own. The successful kick again saw Devizes draw level.
Dorchester were having trouble putting any phases together and were unable to impose themselves on the match.
The hosts took the lead for the first time midway though the second half, a missed tackle in midfield allowing space for the left winger to sprint over for a converted try.
Dorchester threw everything at their opponents but continued to show a lack of precision and failed to convert several chances into tries.
Finally, with time ticking away, Jones spotted a gap in the home defence and managed to hold off two defenders to touch down under the posts for a converted score.
With the match poised at 20-20 there was still time for Dorchester to almost gift Devizes a winning score, but Read’s try-saving tackle rescued the situation after a sloppy pass had been intercepted.
The hosts then had a chance to snatch victory with the last kick of the game but the penalty attempt drifted just wide and the Southern Counties South spoils were shared.
Dorchester: Warren, Chalker, Hodgson, Broadbent (Borries 65), King (Underhill 60), Hawkins, Miller, Dixon, D Gower, Jones, Morgan, Biddle, Harvey, T Gower, Read.
Man of the Match: Callum Hawkins
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