Powergen South-West Division Two East STOW-ON-THE-WOLD 14 Dorchester 5

Dorchester came back from the picturesque Cotswolds wondering how on earth they managed to lose this game.

Despite the now routine multiple changes and late call-ups the visitors started the game the better of the two sides and took the lead with an excellent team try after 15 minutes.

The back row broke through the middle of the field, the move was continued going to the right and then, when the ball was recycled, the backs spun the ball to Chris Goulding lurking out on the left wing.

He outpaced the cover to score in the corner.

Stow appeared to have little to offer and were only kept in the game by the boot of fly half Watts and Dorchester's inability to find touch with their clearance kicks. Two penalties from Watts, both awarded for offside, gave Stow a fragile one point lead at the break.

With the wind at their backs in the second half, Dorchester were firm favourites to take both points back to Dorset.

Indeed they dominated the third quarter of the game but a catalogue of missed chances, bad choices and bizarre refereeing decisions meant that all the pressure came to nothing.

The home side appeared to realise that this just might be their day and came into the game a little more but still posed only a minimal threat.

As the time slipped past Dorchester threw on all three replacements in an effort to save the game but almost immediately Watts put over a snap drop goal to widen the gap to four points and leave Dorchester needing to score a try to win.

Attacking from deep, the visitors then lost control of the ball and scrum half Cooper went on a weaving run through the Dorchester defence before releasing left winger Easton to run in unopposed. As the conversion was missed, the referee blew for time.

Dorchester: Haworth (Bassindale 70mins); Harvey, Cowling A, Joseph (J Miller 75mins), Cooke; B Scott, Gannaway; Brock, Woodbridge, Thorne, Ramsay, Barrett (O Andrews 70mins), Pinder, Goulding, Eversden.