COMBE DOWN 29

DORCHESTER 32

DESPITE being outscored five tries to four, an excellent kicking performance by Jamie Morgan gave Dorchester a 32-29 victory at Combe Down.

Prior to their first away win of the season, Dorchester played down the slope and with the wind behind them made a good start and were soon ahead, Morgan with a penalty.

The hosts hit back with the opening try, a driving maul in the right corner, but before long Dorchester took control of the match with three tries.

First to score was hooker and head coach Josh Ovey from another driving maul followed by a sharp break from scrum-half Louis Allan taking play to the hosts’ line, where winger James Cooper was on hand to take the offload and touch down, Morgan adding the extras.

Then Josh Hosford added a third try following a break by Freddie Charles, again, Morgan added the conversion.

READ MORE: Dorchester 52-24 Avonvale - match report

What would have been an excellent half was slightly spoiled when Dorchester were caught napping on the blind side allowing the right winger an easy run in, trailing Dorchester by 12 at the break.

With the elements against them in the second half, Dorchester knew they were in for a tough 40 minutes and sure enough two tries and a conversion for the hosts levelled the scores by the end of the third quarter.

A second Morgan penalty put Dorchester in the lead again and it looked like they could hold out for the win. A spilled pass in their own 22 however allowed a Combe Down prop to rumble over for their fifth try.

The conversion giving the hosts a four-point led with 10 minutes remaining. Dorchester’s scrum, which had been dominant all afternoon, gave them decent field position and from there man-of-the-match Morgan cut an excellent line and breaking tackles scored under the posts. Morgan converted and Dorchester comfortably held out for the final few minutes.

Following the match, head coach Ovey reflected on the team’s performance: “A very tough game for the team played with a huge amount of heart and superb spirit throughout, to get us across the finish line and pick up the win away.

“After 20 minutes it looked like our dominant set piece game had broken our opponents and for a moment looked like we may run away with the win.

“However, our changed back line racked up a few penalties and we allowed Combe Down back in the game. At the end of an extremely tense second half, we gifted them an easy walk-in try.

“In past seasons that would have seen a meltdown but it was fantastic to see the team pull together, rally each other and show huge hearts to dominate the final few minutes and get our man of the match over the line for the winning try and conversion.”

Dorchester now sit sixth in the Tribute Southern Counties South table, on the same points tally as Wimborne, and their next game is at Surcouf Park against 11th-placed Corsham in two weeks.

The county town’s A XV were also on the road playing Ellingham & Ringwood, in a Tribute Dorset & Wilts Two South fixture.

Both teams, fielding several changes, took time to get going but it was Dorchester’s captain Matt Fry individual skills that got his team the lead at half time.

As the match developed new cap Andy Bellringer, on his debut for the club, imposed himself in the midfield with the side ending up comfortable winners 53-12 putting them second in the table behind local rivals Lytchett Minster who they welcome to Surcouf Park in two weeks.