DORCHESTER 29

WALCOT 22

DORCHESTER made hard work of their first Tribute Southern Counties South win of the season, finally closing out a 29-22 win over Walcot in the last minute.

The game started well for the hosts, centre Matt Fry touching down following George Foot's clever grubber through the visitors' defence and James Baker adding the conversion.

The rest of the first half was dominated by Walcot as Dorchester conceded a string of offside penalties. From one of these Walcot kicked to the corner and, with a well rehearsed lineout move, scored in the left-hand corner.

The successful conversion and a subsequent penalty put Walcot in the lead. Worse was to follow as the visitors created a huge overlap allowing their left winger an easy run in. The conversion was missed but Walcot went into the break leading 15-7.

READ MORE: Swindon College Old Boys 31-10 Dorchester - match report

Strong words at half-time from head coach Josh Ovey provoked Dorchester into looking like a different team in the second half.

Total dominance at scrum time was the basis for the comeback. Dorchester shuffled the pack a little after half-time and Adam Makepeace returned to the second row after a long-term injury, boding well for the home team.

Following a period of sustained pressure on the visitors’ line flanker Josh Hosford crashed over by the posts. Baker’s conversion closed the gap to a single point.

Walcot however were still looking dangerous with what possession they did have and manufactured another overlap for the winger to score another converted try for 22-14.

Baker then popped over a penalty before Dorchester scored the try of the game. Steve Tucker picked up at the back of an advancing scrum and made good yards before offloading to scrum-half Freddie Charles who sprinted in from fully 50 metres.

Baker again added the extras giving Dorchester a slender 24-22 lead. With the result on a knife edge as the clock ticked down the hosts sealed the victory with the final play of the game.

Jamie Morgan scored on his birthday following another dominant set-piece scrum. Baker’s conversion attempt came back off the post but the home side had picked up a valuable bonus-point win, putting them ninth in the table.

The county town's young scrum-half Freddie Charles, a product of the club's great youth setup, took man-of-the-match honours.

Dorchester’s fabled Gladiator’s third XV travelled to Ellingham & Ringwood in a Dorset & Wilts Matrix fixture, coming away heads held high despite a 36-29 loss.

Gladiators took a 29-0 lead into half-time but with both the first and second XV not having games the visitors made use of a very strong bench to come back and steal the points.

Next weekend the club have a weekend with no league games, giving time for the injury list to reduce before heading to fifth-placed Wimborne the weekend after.