BLANDFORD 35

WEYMOUTH & PORTLAND 5

WEYMOUTH & Portland fell to their first defeat of the Tribute Dorset & Wilts One South season with a 35-5 reverse at Blandford.

The Seahorses had won their past three games with Blandford by a combined total of 106 points but the north Dorset side were vastly improved in this encounter.

Blandford’s back were in inspired form as quick ball and slick hands yielded two tries early on, one converted.

Two Blandford penalties followed for an 18-0 lead before the hosts’ third try was converted for a healthy lead at the break.

Stern words from coach Rich Bament followed at half-time and the Seahorses did improve, only to be repelled by a determined Blandford defence.

READ MORE: Salisbury Seconds 0-71 Weymouth & Portland - match report

However, the pace of Will Quick proved a chink in their armour when the winger sped past the home defence to score an unconverted try in the corner.

Blandford kicked a penalty and fittingly had the final say during injury-time with a simple converted try as Weymouth & Portland’s perfect record was well and truly ruined.

Bament told Echosport: “Blandford thoroughly deserved it, fair play to them. They beat us hands down.

“It was probably one of the best Blandford teams I’ve seen for a long, long time.

“But it was probably the worst display since I’ve been here. It was one of those days where everything that could go wrong, did.

“I didn’t pull any punches at half-time.

“The guys are disappointed and maybe we did get complacent with the games we’ve had so far. Maybe the intensity dropped.

“It just shows that nothing’s taken for granted in this league. It was tough to watch in the first half.

“It just carried on going wrong but you can’t fault the effort in the second half.

“We could’ve done things better in the first half but we don’t dwell on it, we can’t change it. Well done to Blandford.

“It’s just a blip, a little speed bump we’ve come across.”

Billy and Dan Hayne (Achilles) are in contention to return for the Dorset & Wilts Vase clash at Melksham on Saturday (2.30pm).

Bament said: “Billy pulled up in the warm-up so we went in without a recognised hooker.

“He’s been suffering from a dead leg.

“(Melksham) are an unknown quantity. When I played them they had lumpy forwards and lumpy backs but that was many years ago.

“They’ve got a new ground now. The key will be to go up there and play our style.

“A better performance will be needed, hopefully our guys will respond and we can put it right straight away.

“It’ll be a big bonus having Dan back. He’s very vocal and physical.”

Seahorses: Comben, A Bowditch, Oaksford, Eckersley, Norton, Cameron, Patsouris-Belcuore, D Bowditch, Barter, Legg, Quick, Lewendon, Savage, Beynon, Cummings.