DORCHESTER 19

SWINDON COLLEGE OLD BOYS 18

DORCHESTER edged over the line to beat Swindon College Old Boys 19-18 in a Tribute Southern Counties South thriller at Surcouf Park.

Not for the first time ill discipline nearly cost Dorchester victory in a game they should have won comfortably.

Despite widespread sporting postponements caused by bad weather, conditions were not as bad as had been expected.

The visitors started the stronger and took an early lead with a simple penalty from their full-back.

Dorchester began to dominate the set-piece but were undone after conceding a needless penalty, Swindon kicked to the corner and scored with a well rehearsed front peel. The successful conversion left the hosts 10 points behind.

READ MORE: Swanage & Wareham 18 -14 Dorchester - match report

As the game entered the second quarter Dorchester finally converted their possession into points.

Leading try scorer James Baker, on his return from injury, showed great strength in holding off several tackles before scoring.

Jamie Morgan’s conversion attempt came back off the post but within minutes the same player made a clean break through midfield before handing on to Callum King to score by the posts. Morgan made no mistake with the subsequent conversion for 12-10.

Dorchester dominated the third quarter but were unable to add to their two-point lead as the visitors defended resolutely.

It looked like this failure might come back to haunt them as Swindon kicked themselves into the lead with a penalty quickly followed by a try in the right corner, taking an 18-12 lead.

The missed conversion attempt left Dorchester with 10 minutes to score a converted try.

Dorchester had been sent back 10 metres on a number of occasions by the referee for back chat and had a man yellow carded for repeat infringements. Pinned on their own goal line Swindon were unable to clear their lines and Alex Sharp picked up and dived over for the try.

The conversion was far from simple, but Baker took responsibility and sent the kick between the posts. There was still time for one last attack from Swindon and it looked like they may steal the win, but their left winger lost control of the ball as he crossed the try line.

Dorchester won the ensuing scrum and kicked the ball to touch to end the game.

Post-match, Dorchester’s chairman Tony Foot relieved at the win, quoted former first-team player Tim Bowden in calling the win “comfy” with a wry smile on his face.

The win leaves the county town side sixth, nine points behind Swanage & Wareham, with their next game away on Saturday to eighth-placed Walcot who Dorchester picked up their first win against at Surcouf Park back in October.

Elsewhere, the club’s A XV suffered a loss away to Christchurch in a very physical game.

The hard-working team eventually lost to a glut of tries in the final quarter of the game against a very imposing home team, going down 38-6.

Despite the loss, Dorchester A remain in second place in the league table on the same tally as their opponents but with a better points difference.

With a makeshift front row, the team struggled in the scrum and with both team captain Matt Fry and fly-half Rob Parker out and unable to lead, the backs struggled to click.

However, great heart could be taken with the debuts of two young players, coming through the colts team of Mike Sprules, both Cohen Emery and Slade Collins showed the depth of talent within the club’s younger players is very strong indeed.

The Ridgeway Roses fell 48-7 to Melksham Ladies on Sunday afternoon, however with an encouraging performance and far better scoreline than the previous meeting in the second game of the season.

Coach Sam Wilson commented on the improvement she saw in her team and the determination to battle hard to the end.